Design for Life – Contrast

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2(ESV)

One thing I have learned from Bob Ross is to show dark you need light and to show light you need dark. That struck a chord in me and always stuck with me. When I want something to stand out in a piece of art I highlight it. I can highlight an already light color by placing dark colors around it. Our lives need to be highlighted in a way that we stand out from the rest of the world. When we follow Jesus and walk closely with Him, those characteristics begin to show and we begin to live them out, others will start to see that there is something different in us, something different about us.

When we as Christians start to live conformed to God’s word our lifestyle begins reflect how God desires for us to live. We can live out the Gospel by helping others, doing something “for the least of these,” Matthew 25:40, loving our neighbor as ourselves; Mark 12:31, love your enemies and do good to those who hate you; Luke 6:27-36. When others see us do these hard things, when others see us loving the unlovely, when others can’t understand the peace we have amidst the chaos of today’s world, when they see us and they just don’t understand what’s different. Then we know we are living in contrast to the world. Even when others are rejecting us for what we believe, we can be assured they see a contrast.

When it comes to attracting or highlight something in a piece of art, adding contrast can be a pretty important principle. I found this definition of contrast, “Contrast Paired with Unity:  Contrast can be a matter of arranging opposite elements (light versus dark, rough versus smooth, large versus small) within an artist’s piece, when the artist is working specifically to echo and repeat different levels of unity. In such artwork, contrasts can be paired colors which are chromatic opposites: in a work strictly adhering to unity those colors would be complementary. When the artist uses contrasting paired shapes such as two circles of different sizes, or a triangle and a star of the same size, contrast can be seen as opposite but partnered with the element of unity.”(https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-contrast-in-art-182430) 

How cool is that??? Think about it for a minute. Where else do we see contrast? And where opposites can compliment? Within the body of Christ we can be unified through contrast!!! 1 Corinthians 12:12, “There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.” (NIRV)  “Contrasting paired shapes… can be seen as opposite but partnered with the element of unity.” We can still be who God created us to be no matter how different we are. In the world we will be seen as a contrast. In the body of Christ we can be unified and compliment each other. We can still have unity within the body of Christ. When the world sees how we as Christians are the same but different still living in unity as one body in Christ we can be the highlight, the contrast the world needs to see.

© Caryn’s Corner Btq 2021