In the Eighteenth century, a...
Illustration
In the Eighteenth century, a German artist, Stenberg, was walking through the market place of his hometown when he was attracted to the face of a dancing gypsy girl. He invited her to sit for him in his studio as a model. Accepting his invitation, she enabled Stenberg to paint his famous "Dancing Gypsy Girl." The young girl was greatly impressed by what she saw in the artist's studio, particularly a painting in progress entitled "Crucifixion." Arrested by the painting, she said one day to Stenberg, "He must have been a very bad man to have been nailed to a cross like that." Stenberg replied, "No, he was a good man. The best man who ever lived. Indeed, he died for all men." The girl asked, "Did he die for you?" Stenberg had never really made such a personal application of his explanation. He was led to search the Scriptures, and, in a few short weeks, he discovered the answer and surrendered himself to Christ. Returning to his painting of the "Crucifixion," he added these words beneath the likeness of Christ on the Cross: "This I did for thee; what hast thou done for me?" A young aristocratic count, Zinzendorf by name, chanced to observe the painting, paused to meditate at both the depiction and the words, and was so moved that he went on to found the Moravians.
Strange are the ways in which the Word becomes flesh.
Strange are the ways in which the Word becomes flesh.
