Mark Sorensen Did you know that there are fewer than 20 paintings in the art world attributed to Leonardo da Vinci? There’s no question that he had a talent for his craft, but did you ever wonder why there are so few art pieces attributed to him? It’s believed that Leonardo da Vinci, for all the artistic and creative talent he possessed, had one thing that worked against him: a lack of focus. Da Vinci started many projects, but due to his lack of focus, many paintings were, sadly, considered unfinished. Two of his most famous paintings actually took years to complete. The “Mona Lisa” took da Vinci 15 years to finish, and “The Virgin of the Rocks” – though commissioned to be painted in seven months – took him 25 years to complete. (That’s some kind of missed deadline!)
On his deathbed, da Vinci famously apologized to God and man for “leaving so much undone.”
Reading that recently caused me to reflect over my own life. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in projects, schedules, calendars and summer events, and lose sight of the things that are most important and primary.
In Matthew 22, Jesus was approached by a lawyer who asked, “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?”
That’s a tricky question, by the way. There are 613 laws in the Law of Moses. So this lawyer was saying, of the 613, give us one that’s the most important, the most essential.
Jesus, knowing his heart, gave him (and us) not one, but two:“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:36-39)
I’m not sure what your day has on its schedule, but let’s not get distracted. Love the Lord and give that same love to your neighbor. Pour your calendar and events through those filters, and that’s a life lived fully.
Amen!
— Mark
