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We are a fellowship of Jesus' disciples following his way, sharing his love, and serving our neighbors.
The Artist and the Dance: A Reflection on Masterpieces and Master Potter
Works of art by great masters often command high prices, and few names in the art world are as revered—and as costly—as Pablo Picasso. The late Spanish painter and sculptor is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Over his prolific lifetime, Picasso is estimated to have created around 50,000 pieces, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics.
One of his most famous paintings, Les Femmes d'Alger (Version 'O'), painted in 1955, was sold at auction for $179.4 million in May 2015, setting a record at the time for the most expensive painting ever sold at auction.
What makes great artists stand out—beyond their technical skill—is their patience, precision, and relentless pursuit of expression. These traits often lead to works of such depth and quality that they transcend time, drawing attention and immense value in auctions and collections. Artists know they are not only creating for the present moment but for future generations. Their art becomes their legacy, an enduring imprint of their identity and vision.
Vincent van Gogh, the renowned Dutch artist, captured this devotion perfectly when he said, “I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart.” Great artists pour themselves fully into their work, and the result often reveals as much about the creator as it does about the creation.
This devotion to art and meaning is mirrored in the spiritual life. The poet W.B. Yeats—an artist of words—ends his poem Among School Children with a haunting question:
“O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?”
Doug Reside of the New York Public Library interprets this line to mean that “some creative acts are so intimately connected to the artist who created them that separating the two is almost impossible.” If this is true, then Eliot’s question invites us to reflect on the ultimate Artist—God—and how intimately connected He is to us, His creation.
In Jeremiah 18, God tells the prophet to go to the potter’s house, where He reveals a powerful message using the imagery of a potter and clay:
“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord.
“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:6)
Here, God is both the Potter and the Dancer—shaping, molding, and moving through us with divine intention. At conversion, we begin to reflect His image, becoming the dance that responds to the rhythm of His will. The artist’s identity becomes inseparable from the artwork—just as our lives should become inseparable from the character of Christ.
Importantly, the molding process is not primarily about the clay—it is about the Potter. It is His name, His character, and His glory that are on display. When people encounter Christians, they should see a masterpiece being shaped by the hands of God.
God desires to leave His mark on us—not just for our own sake, but for the sake of generations to come. He shapes us into vessels that carry His beauty, truth, and love into the world. As Isaiah 53:11 says of Christ, “When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied” (NLT).
But the process is not always pleasant. The Master Potter allows both trials and triumphs to shape us. Resisting this shaping is, ultimately, resisting our purpose. Like an artist refining a sculpture, God is committed to revealing the best of Himself in us. His work is not complete until He sees His reflection in the clay.
To fight His shaping is to struggle with our Maker—an act not only of futility but of folly. But to yield is to become something far greater than we could ever be on our own—a masterpiece molded for eternity.
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