There is a story of a lady who, years ago, approached Picasso hoping he would draw a picture of her.  Very quickly he sketched a profile of the lady and within minutes turned the portrait over to her and said, “Now, that will be 5000 francs.”  She questioned his price and asked, “What do you mean?  It only took you a few minutes to draw the portrait.”  Picasso said, “That’s where you are wrong, it has taken me my entire life.”

     We live in an instant generation.  What I mean is that we want to achieve a certain level of growth without putting in the valuable time needed to reach our goals.  Crossing the finish line in a race is accomplished in one single moment of time; however, getting to that point takes hard work, training, and dedication.  Winning a war can be experienced when the enemy raises one single white flag; however, getting to that point involves many battles.

     Real growth is a process.  Success is not achieved in one day; it is achieved by doing the right things every day.  Whether you are a Picasso, a parent, or a plumber – don’t look to be an overnight sensation; rather be everything you can be in this day.  And there will come a time when all the hard work will pay off.  The greatest reward of your Christian growth will be hearing your Master say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”