Make Each Day Your Masterpiece
Make each day your masterpiece. And eventually, I suspect you will build a masterpiece that everyone can see.
Michelangelo was primarily a sculptor, not a painter. As such, he was very reluctant when Pope Julius II asked him to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The Pope was adamant, leaving Michelangelo no choice but to accept. In those days, you did what the Pope asked you to do.
Michelangelo was asked to paint twelve large figures of the Apostles.However, now committed to the painting, Michelangelo negotiated for a much larger project. His scheme for the ceiling eventually comprised some three hundred figures and took four years to execute.
Each day, he would set up scaffolding and paint. The paint was applied to damp plaster — a painting technique called fresco. There were large sections that he had to remove months into the project because the wet plaster grew mold. Contrary to popular belief, he stood while painting, which was awkward, and at times, painful.
Many consider the ceiling of the sistine chapel as one of Michangelo’s greatest masterpieces. It has been by viewed millions and millions of people.
My point is not about the final product, which is, indeed, magnificent. My point is about the daily work. He knew each day that he was working on a masterpiece, but to those around him, it might have looked like he was making slow or even no progress.
As many of you know, Coach John Wooden is regarded as one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, having led UCLA to ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period. He is known for saying, “Make each day your masterpiece.”
When he said this to his players, he meant that they should focus on what they were doing right now to the best of their ability. It is about recognizing that nothing can be done about what happened yesterday and that you can only affect what will happen tomorrow by what you do today.
When you wake up each day, you have the opportunity to use that day as a gift and an opportunity. Each day you can create your masterpiece. It may not be the finished product like a famous painting or a championship, but it will be your masterpiece. The days in which you believe that you are playing a minor role that nobody even notices can still be masterpieces in God’s eyes. It will be the best that you could possibly do on that day. When you wake up each morning, you have an opportunity to use your gifts in a fruitful and productive manner.
Make each day your masterpiece. And eventually, I suspect you will build a masterpiece that everyone can see.
I’d like to share one final quote attributed to Coach Wooden: “You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
This Blog was shared as a devotion with the Middle and Upper School Students on September 29, 2017
Brookwood School
Located in Thomasville, GA, Brookwood School is a private school for grades JK-12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.