I have a very personal and deep affinity with this story.

The artist had shown his picture in a small local gallery where the simple image of balloons soaring into heaven was loved by locals and children.   A large art Gallery asked  permission to display the painting in the City.    Children and passer-by’s stopped.  They all loved the picture.

One day the artist was approached to put the painting up for sale at an auction.  A bit  reluctantly, he agreed and went along to see what happened.  To his surprise the painting was popular but suddenly it became more than a picture it became a ‘competition’ from wealthy investors and folk with $’s and possible gains and greed rising.    They began to haggle and fight.   It became violent all over the wanting of the work as a POSSESSION.

The auction was stopped at the artist’s request and resumed again on the following Saturday.     This day the violence became worse.    The beauty of the painting was completely swamped by the burning desire for ownership.

The gavel dropped. The sound resonated as an unprecedented  amount of money was yelled to the exuberance of excited crowds.

There was a sudden jolting sound.   The painting began to slowly rise through the top of the frame where the unmistakable sound of a shredding machine started up.   A bit at a time the painting was drawn upwards.     The artist took a picture and told the gasping people.

God inspired my art work.   This painting was about Him and His Sacrifice and His Calling of human spirits to eternity.   I loved it.     I appreciated it for what it was.

              I knew I would rather shred my God-given Gift than let it become a property and not LOVED.

The photograph the artist took was published in the local paper.  It had the heading…..GOING!   GOING!    GONE!…………         The byline by the photographer read…….One day that too will be the story of my life.   I know where I’m going.   Do you?

Blessings in this day.   If the people and the bears and the stories I write are not loved this is what I would like to also do.

God loves!   His People out of love for Him will share so their Gifts too may be LOVED!.

live!