A friend of ours, Brian, is a gifted individual. He’s the musician-photographer-computer genius-theologian type, if such a type exists. Recently, I ran across a blog in which Brian critiqued a photo he’d taken.
The subject of the impressive photograph was a wedding cake. Simple yet elegant, the smoothly iced confection was adorned only with a few roses. The camera lens captured this masterpiece so accurately and so beautifully that it actually looked real enough to eat. According to Brian, two main elements contributed to creating this breathtaking image: light and depth. Spiritual parallels abound.
Brian noted lighting as a crucial element in all good photography. In his words, good lighting is key to creating depth. No light … no depth. Depth is critical because depth is what makes the photo come across as real, believable. In the Bible, Jesus referred to Himself as “the light of the world”. John adds that Jesus is “the true light that gives light to every man.” Isn’t it interesting that just as proper lighting is necessary to form depth in a photograph, The Light is necessary to form depth in our lives? A personal relationship with Jesus sheds light on all aspects of our lives, revealing those areas that are pleasing to God, as well as those facets where improvement is needed. We see the work God has already done in our lives and, most likely, are humbled by the fact that His work in us is not yet finished. This ongoing illumination brings true depth to our character, resulting in an amazingly effective authenticity that speaks volumes to a world searching for something … anything… that is real.
The other component that contributes to the realism of the image in the photograph is the lack of distractions. The subject of the photo is most notably the cake, and nothing lures our eyes away from its beauty. Can we say this about our own lives? When others look at our lives do they clearly see the character of Christ? Do our words and actions draw people to Christ or distract them from our witness? Do they distract us?
I’ll end my writing where Brian ended his, looking for more lighting scenarios.
Check out the actual photo at www.thisistheslam.blogspot.com then scroll down to the "More Great Light" entry.
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