There is a story about a famous sculptor, Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), who was asked to sculpt the famous statue of Abraham Lincoln for L
incoln Memorial. Mr. French was served by a maid with a bad temper. She had no appreciation or understanding of her master’s work, and every time the maid came into this sculptor’s studio to clean up, she grumbled about how sloppy a craftsman he was.
During the sculpting of Abraham Lincoln, this maid had taken one month’s vacation. Upon returning back to work after her vacation was over, she had already begun her grumbling, fully expecting to see another colossal mess. To her great surprise, when she flung upon the doors, there before her stood the statue. “It’s Abraham Lincoln!” she exclaimed. “Yes, it is,” replied Mr. French. But then the maid’s eyes narrowed and she glared at the sculptor and said, “How did you know that he was in that slab of stone?”
Mr. French could see in that piece of marble stone what no one else could see and his untiring sculpting was motivated by that vision.
“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling…” (Eph 1:17-18 NASB).
