Fuzzy Blue Rectangles

Final bids at a recent New York City art auction soared well over $40,000,000. Yet the subject of the frenzied closing was nothing more than a few yards of canvas and a thin layer of pigment.

Forty. Million. Dollars.

It’s hard to fathom. You might assume we’re talking about a famous painting by Monet, Picasso, Renoir or Van Gogh. Well… not quite. Does the name Rothko ring any bells?

You can Google this multimillion-dollar masterpiece, but let me give you a teaser first: picture a large, unevenly brushed yellow canvas. I know that sounds amazing, but just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, plop an unsightly fuzzy blue rectangle onto the lower half. Tantalizing, right? Well that’s it. Consider yourself teased. I’m guessing it took all of twenty minutes to finish that piece, including the title: “Untitled (Yellow and Blue)”.

Now before I go any further, I should probably mention to any art lovers that my college degree is in art, so I do understand there’s more to abstract expressionism than meets the eye (sort of). But in any case, don’t we all wish we could turn a slapdash blue rectangle into a masterpiece that’s worth millions?

For most of us, it defies common logic how artwork like this can be so valuable. Just imagine if we had found this odd painting while cleaning out an attic or basement. We’d probably kick it aside, or maybe even toss it in the dumpster in our agenda-driven mindset. But think of the treasure we would never know existed in that painting. Think of the riches we would miss simply because we didn’t like the way it looked!

Truth is, there are fuzzy blue rectangles all around us. The people we come in contact with every day that we just can’t figure out. People that we think look or act “weird.” The people we choose to ignore, because like abstract art, we just can’t see their appeal or value.

In the midst of our daily blur, it can be easy to forget that there’s a master Artist behind every fuzzy blue creation on this earth. It’s truly amazing to pause and consider that God has produced a masterpiece in each and every one of us! We’re invaluable to Him, and beautiful in His sight.

So the next time you see a piece of artwork that you just don’t understand, let it be an encouraging reminder of the value the Lord places on you – and on others whom you may not fully appreciate. Our portraits may all hang in very different wings of the museum, but the signature in the lower corner is the same for everyone: GOD.

Genesis 1:27-31 - “God created human beings in His own image… Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good!"

- Ron Reid