The Big Picture

Bible Reading: Genesis 16:13; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 28:20

Emma wrung her hands as her mom drove to the museum. Going to the art museum was Emma’s favorite thing to do on a rainy day. She just hoped she wouldn’t see anyone from school.

Once they arrived, they looked at a few paintings. Emma moved close to one and said, “Mom, this is just a bunch of dots. I could go home and do this in a few minutes.”

Mom laughed. “Step back, Emma.” She waited as Emma moved back several steps. “What do you see now?”

Emma gasped. “It’s beautiful! I see people at a park, with a river and sailboats.”

Mom nodded. “It is Georges Seurat’s famous Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. This painting was done with many tiny dots of color placed very close to one other so they blend into an image. It’s called pointillism.”

Later that night, when Emma and her mom were eating dinner back at home, Emma asked her a question. “Why do kids call me such horrible names? All I think about is what kids are going to say or do to me at school. I can barely sleep!”

“Honey, I don’t know the answer to that,” Mom said. “What I do know is that, like the painting we saw today, we only see the little dots—what is happening right now in our own lives. But God sees the big picture. He uses everything we go through, either for our good or another person’s. He doesn’t waste anything. We don’t know why some kids go through really difficult things, like bullying or abuse, but we know Jesus suffered and died to free us from the sin that causes those things. He sees everything, and He promises to be with us.”

“But what can I do now?” asked Emma.

“Well, we should talk some more about how kids are treating you to see if we need to get the school involved, but you can use this experience to be a friend to someone else who is hurting. And if you see another person being treated badly, help them out of the situation or stand up for them.”

Emma nodded. “I can already think of a couple of friends who are also going through a hard time.” – Lauren N. Simmons

How About You?

Have you been caught up in the “dots” of your own life? Maybe kids at your school are giving you a hard time or your parents are going through a divorce. While we may not understand why certain things happen to us, we know Jesus suffered and died so we could have eternal life. Remember that He is with you, and trust Him to use your experience to point others to Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God. (CSB)

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus sees your suffering