MORAL STORIES

A BLESSED AND BLISSFUL BEAUTY

Dr. John Merritt is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia, USA. He is a renowned evangelist and hosts the popular programme, ‘Touching Lives’ in his international broadcasting ministry. Through this, he has touched millions of lives with the Gospel of Christ. He is a committed preacher who explains the Scriptures with clarity and lucidity. In his sermon on ‘God’s Blueprint for a Beautiful Home’ he narrates a nice story about a gifted painter who wanted to paint a masterpiece depicting the most beautiful thing in the world.

The painter met many people seeking their verdict on the most beautiful object on earth, to select the subject of his painting.

First, he consulted a senior priest who suggested ‘FAITH’ as the best theme. He told the painter that he could feel it in a church and find it at every altar.

Next, he met a recently married young lady. She suggested the subject, ‘LOVE’. Finally he met a weary soldier, returning from a battle-field. The soldier said that war was a curse and what man needs is peace. He recommended ‘PEACE’ as the most beautiful thing in the world.

The painter now had three different options. As a further selection was difficult, he decided to combine the three themes in one single painting. But he did not know where he could find such a combination of three beautiful objects. He returned home and there, in his home, he could find the perfect blend of the three beauties. He saw ‘faith’ in his wife who came to him with an innocent smile to meet him and greet him. He found lively ‘love’ in his loving and lovely children, who ran to him and embraced him. When the virtues – ‘faith’ and ‘love’ filled his home, he could witness the perfect ‘peace’ prevailing there. Much delighted and enlightened by his discovery, he painted his masterpiece, based on his own family, depicting the most beautiful things in the world and labeled it, ‘HOME’.

God created man in His image. Then He created the ‘FAMILY’ in the image of heaven. It was the first and best institution founded by God. The letters in the word, FAMILY may be regarded as representing the first letters of the words in the statement, “Father And Mother In Love, Year-round” or the hearty remark of a loving little child, “Father And Mother! I Love You”.

…………………………………………………………………………….

©By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India and Leo. S. John,Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.

For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-sites:

http://www.moral-stories.com

http://christian.moral-stories.com

This is Story No. 199 in the second site. Please click ‘Older Posts’ at the bottom of a page to read previous stories and click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of a page to read newer stories in these sites. Please click on a word in the 'Story Themes' to read stories on that theme.