Bob's Banter: Are you his masterpiece?

By Robert Clements | 28th March, 10:45 pm

The other day I was walking past a shop window and noticed a mannequin standing there with more confidence than most politicians I have seen. Chin up, shoulders back, dressed better than the average wedding guest.

People stopped. Stared. Some admired. And one fellow even adjusted his own shirt as if the mannequin had silently judged him.

And I thought to myself, what if that mannequin suddenly stepped out of the glass case and began walking down the street. Calmly strolling, turning heads, making people say, “There goes something extraordinary.”

That, in a way, is what God expects of you and me.

Not to stand frozen inside some safe glass enclosure called Sunday service, but to step out into the chaos of life and still carry that same quiet dignity, that same design, that same purpose.

The Bible puts it quite beautifully in Ephesians 2 verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Workmanship: Which mean, carefully crafted. Designed with intention.

But here is where many of us miss the point. A masterpiece is not just something that looks good. It shows something deeper. It reflects the creator.

And what are we meant to reflect?

Not anger, not pride, not the ability to win arguments on social media.

But the fruits of the Spirit. Love when it is inconvenient. Joy when the circumstances are miserable. Peace when everything around you is falling apart. Patience when the person in front refuses to move. Kindness when it is not deserved. Goodness when nobody is watching. Faithfulness when it would be easier to walk away. Gentleness when you have the power to be harsh. Self-control when everything inside you wants to react.

That is what makes people stop and look.

Now let us return to our shop window. What happens when that well-dressed mannequin does not attract attention. No one stops. No one notices. It becomes part of the background, like a bored security guard.

Soon, it is quietly removed.

Jesus says something similar in John 15 verse 2: “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away.”

That is not a comfortable thought. But a real one.

Are we displaying these fruits, or are we simply well-dressed mannequins with nothing real inside?

Being a masterpiece is not about perfection. It is about evidence. Evidence that the Master has been at work in you.

So, the choice is quite simple.

You can remain inside the glass, safe and unnoticed.

Or you can step out, live differently, and let the world stop, wonder, and say, “You carry the touch of the Master..!.”

bobsbanter@gmail.com

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