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Short Stories (Stories for the Youth), book by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

125- The Emperor and the Artist

 

St-Takla.org Image: A peacock صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: طاووس

The emperor of Japan asked one of the artists to draw a picture of a bird. He expected to see the picture after few weeks or months. Several months even years passed but the artist did not bring the picture. The emperor decided to surprise the artist in his gallery to see if he started the painting or not. When the emperor met the artist, he asked him if he started drawing the picture. The artist replied, “Wait for fifteen minutes and you’ll receive it.”

The artist grabbed a brush and in few minutes offered the emperor a unique picture of a bird.

The emperor was amazed that the artist was able to draw the picture of a bird, which he requested some years ago, in few minutes.

The emperor asked, “If you’re capable of drawing such a beautiful picture in few minutes, why did you wait so long to draw it?”

“I’ll answer you practically”, the artist answered.

He showed him eyes of birds, in another area of the gallery wings of birds, then legs, heads etc.

The artist said to the emperor, “I spent all these years to collect all these pictures and studied them all to give your majesty the best possible picture of a bird.”

The emperor then realized that what the artist offered in minutes was a result of years of hard work.

It took a great artist several years to produce a fifteen-minute invaluable picture. Would it not concern you that the greatest artist, the Holy Spirit, draws the icon of Christ in you, to present you to the Father? That cost God a lot. He sent His only begotten son, so you can become a living immortal icon with which the Father will be pleased. When evil thoughts leap into your mind to spoil your life which is an icon, search your Bible so you can see what God has done for you throughout the ages. Go to the cross, so the Holy Spirit can open the eyes of your heart. Then you will see the giving love of God who drew the icon with His precious blood.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: الإمبراطور والفنان.

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