When I grew up and found the world wasn't always the pleasant place I had thought it would be, I unconsciously decided if it wasn't an ideal world, it should be. And so I painted it that way. Norman Rockwell

What is it that makes certain men stand out from their peers? In the case of Norman Rockwell it's clear that his fame came at least in part from his enormous talent, but thousands of obscure painters whose work the world has never seen have had similar ability. The thing that made Norman Rockwell without equal in his niche of the art world was in his outlook on life: He genuinely liked people and he loved God. We don't have to read these facts in some sort of biography on Rockwell - we see them prominently displayed on the canvas of his paintings.

How about our lives: Do we genuinely like people and love God? Would we have to make some sort of announcement to that effect in order for others to be aware of these things? The fact is that if we truly love both our fellow man and our Lord, then the canvas of our lives will clearly reveal these things.

If we should find ourselves coming to the uncomfortable conclusion that we do not live in a ideal world, then maybe we should do something about it. It begins with letting our lights shine for the Master. What kind of picture are you painting for the whole world to see?

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, so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 5:14-16, NIV