The Painter of Light

Thomas Kinkade is known as a painter of light. He has a wonderful way of making a painting come to life by making them shine with light from the windows of the most peaceful looking cottages and from streetlights on beautiful streets scenes he has painted. I found this in his biography: Bridges are one of his favorite subjects, as are steps or grassy inclines leading upward or through gate-images that are symbols of his religious faith. Some of his paintings actually are visual depictions of Bible verses, such as his A Light in the Storm, taken from John 8:12: "I am the light of the world."

Being a picture person I can't help but think of God, the creator of the universe with the world laid out before him as his canvas carefully painting a perfect picture. Each of us He gently creates, taking his time because he loves us. Just as Thomas Kinkade paints the light in his photos that seems so real that it draws the eyes of the onlooker deeper into the beauty of the painting, God gently paints us with the Love of his only son so that we too can shine the light of Jesus from our eyes to the world around us. Each of us has the ability to be a beautiful work of art if we allow God to be the artist. Matthew 5:14-16 you are the light of the world a city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men. That they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. As I think of these paintings and how they relate to us showing our light, Matthew 6:22 also comes to my mind, the eye is the lamp of the body if your eyes are good your whole body will be full of light.

Another wonderful thing about a Kinkade painting is that there is more than meets the eye in each of them; there are hidden treasures if you look deep into them. Kinkade loves to show his love for his wife and daughters in his paintings by hiding their names and initials in his theme. For example in the Twilight Cottage 2, the one Kinkade painting I am privileged to own, there is the letter "N" hidden four times in it for his wife Nannette. Searching for the hidden treasure is a fun thing and the light in the painting never seems to stop filling me with wonder because of how real it seems to be as it spills out of the painting. There have been many times I have wanted to look for some hidden switch or cord because it seems that there should be some electrical source powering the painting. In the same way, Kinkade marks his pictures to show his love for his wife and daughters, God too leaves his mark on us claiming that we are his children.

God wants to spill his light out of us like the light in the paintings and God also has the ability to show us the hidden treasures when we seek him. Colossians 2:2-3 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Paul is teaching us that when we seek Christ we gain true wisdom and we gain the treasure of Salvation!!    What could be greater than finding a hidden treasure full of Love, wisdom, truth, and SALVATION!  

Stand back and look at yourself as you would look at one of the Thomas Kinkade paintings I am writing about. What do see and what do you think others would see when they look at you? Is the love of Christ shining from you? Do you carry within you the treasure of salvation?  When others look at you do they see that light and wonder what is that, how can I have that?  Do you hide that treasure or do you share it with others in actions and words?

God in His mighty love has painted each of us in our own special way and He longs to be the painter of light in each one of us if we will allow Him. I pray that my light shines each day and that it will guide others to a love like no other. Like a Thomas Kinkade painting I pray that you too will let your light shine and that people will see in you a treasure that they too will long to find have for themselves.