One of the most surprising things I learned during our REVEALING art show a few weeks ago was something my art coach, Joan Moody, had told me before:
“Imperfection sells art.”
I thought about that again when my friend Tracy Schultz brought in a piece of pottery for the show that had collapsed while she was making it (#33 in the picture below). Normally, she might have scrapped it, but instead she worked with it, reshaped it, glazed it, finished it, and brought it to the show anyway.
And people noticed it.
In fact, it became one of the pieces that drew the most interest.
That struck me because I think we often assume people want perfection. We think they want the flawless painting, the flawless performance, the flawless story, the flawless life.
But sometimes the uneven edge is what gives something character.
Sometimes the crack tells the story.
Sometimes the thing you almost threw away is the very thing someone else is most drawn to.
I had a similar experience with one of my own paintings. I painted an apple pie for the cover of my new book, One Slice at a Time. The pie was off-center, and the slice was not where I would have put it if I were trying to paint the perfect still life. But it worked just right for the cover of my book. I honestly didn’t think anyone would buy the original.
Someone bought it the first day, and several more said they wished they were first to buy it.
That made me smile, but it also made me think about how much energy we spend trying to hide the imperfect parts of ourselves.
We want people to see the finished painting, not the rough sketch underneath. We want them to hear the polished song, not the voice that shakes. We want them to hear the victory story, not the part where we fell apart.
But Paul wrote:
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” ( 2 Corinthians 4:7)
I love that picture.
An earthen vessel is not a flawless crystal vase. It is a clay jar. It can have marks from the potter’s hands, uneven places, cracks, wear, and evidence that it has been used.
And that is where God says He puts His treasure.
Maybe God is not nearly as embarrassed by our imperfections as we are.
Maybe He is not waiting for us to become flawless before He can use us.
Maybe some of the places we most want to hide are the very places where His grace will be easiest to see.
Paul said it another way:
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
That does not mean we stop growing or stop doing our best. It means we do not have to wait until everything is perfect before we let ourselves be seen.
That was one of my favorite things about the REVEALING art show. More than 20 artists shared over 150 pieces of art, and many of them said some version of the same thing:
- “I’m not sure I’m really an artist.”
- “I’ve never sold anything before.”
- “I almost didn’t bring this one.”
But they brought it anyway.
People connected with the art. People bought pieces. People were encouraged. And the artists were encouraged too.
So far, the show has raised $2,233 for our ministry, helping us continue sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with people around the world. I am deeply thankful for that, and there is still quite a bit of artwork available if you would like to take a look. Here’s the link. My goal if I sell everything from the show is to raise $10,000 to reach even more people with the HOPE of Christ.
https://theranch.org/revealing
But more than anything, I hope this encourages you to stop hiding your gift just because you can see your flaws.
Write the book. Paint the painting. Sing the song. Tell the story. Take the risk.
You may see the imperfection.
Someone else may see the beauty.
And God may see exactly what He can use.
Imperfection sells art.
And sometimes imperfection reveals grace.
Here’s a 1-minute clip of me painting “One Slice at a Time,” and how it looks on the cover of the book.
https://youtube.com/shorts/4njIrh2aPB4
I’ll tell you more about the book itself next time, but for now, I pray your day is fantastic!
Love,
Eric Elder writes for page, stage & screen to glorify God’s name so Christ may be seen! Hit reply to send Eric a note! Use this link to subscribe or unsubscribe.