Lead On
Acrylic on Canvas 48"x36" - October 2017 - Ottawa Vineyard This painting was painted during a worship session of the Vineyard National Leadership meeting in Ottawa in 2017. There were a number of guiding words that inspired this image. I was thinking along with everyone else about the direction of the Vineyard in Canada. The idea of a compass was used by some during the time together along with some keywords that characterize Jesus’ life and ministry. These same character words appear to be emerging as guidance for our movement. The painting that emerged is a composition arranged around the four points of a compass. We are and always seem to be looking for direction. Looking from the centre towards the four points of the compass are four faces, each representing this same quest. I think we sometimes subconsciously think that, if we are following Jesus and have made the right choices, there should be some measure of victory, certainly something that confirms we are on track. If we pick the right direction, might there be no pain? But Jesus never taught nor modeled this. The compass lies upon the backdrop of a hand. Our whole movement and indeed the Kingdom of God exists in God’s hand. Every point on the compass leads us to learn the character of Jesus. Keep in mind Jesus’ life as you hear the four compass points: One face looks down in submission. Jesus’ exercised restraint [meekness] and did it without apology… quite confidently actually. The face of a woman and a woman of color looks east. Jesus promoted a goal of hiddenness, to not look for any approval by humankind. The face of an older man looks west. Jesus walked away from power and modeled the humility of interdependence where followers counted on one another. Finally, the face of a woman looking North and heavenward points to Jesus’ authority that was confidently born out of self-sacrifice… no personal glory involved.
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