What do you see?

What do you see?

This week I found myself in The Times newspaper (10th March 2009) giving a verdict on modern art (a Martin Parr picture). By strange coincidence I am reading the book of Zachariah in The Bible this week and found myself challenged by the question often posed by God to Zachariah: “What do you see?”. This is also the question of the art critic.

Jesus used a similar technique often when communicating in parables found in the gospels – using everyday visual events to bring alive a deep truth. A seed, a tree, a farmer … familiar sights of the day provided important insights into the Kingdom of God.

The art critic takes time to look at a picture, so should we take time to allow God to speak to us in the pictures of everyday life Take a little longer to look and listen – what do you see?