giving1

GIVING

An artist was asked to put on canvas what he thought best symbolizes a decaying and dying church.  After several months, he returned and reported that he was ready to unveil his painting.  Several people standing around the easel gave their impressions of what the painting would look like.  One said it would be a rundown building in great need of repair and paint.  Weeds would be growing in the churchyard and there would be broken panes in the windows.  Everyone agreed that this is what the painting would depict.  However, when the cloth was removed, a hush fell over the group.  The painting depicted a beautiful church building with immaculate grounds.  After a few minutes of silence, one person said, ‘I thought we asked you to paint a dying church?’  The artist smiled and invited everyone to step closer to the painting.  He pointed through the windows to the collection plate on the table.  There was nothing in the plate but cobwebs.  The church that has cobwebs in the collection plate is a church that is decaying and dying.