Do you see the supposed "image of Christ" in this picture?
NOT EVERYONE SEES IT RIGHT AWAY.
This picture started circulating in the 1950's. I first saw it in the 1960's. I won't tell the story behind the picture, but the image of Jesus can be perceived in the shadowy image.
Obviously it is just a perceived image of Christ, at least as He is usually depicted in Christian art. Don't worry about the accuracy. That is not the point of this post.
I have asked individuals and groups if they could see the image. Some people see it immediately, while some see it eventually, and some never see it. I use this as an object lesson. Even though the same information is made available to a group of people, different people respond to the picture in various ways, just as different people respond to the true revelation of the true Christ.
I have posted it on a chalk board at the front of the sanctuary, then asked if anyone could see the image. Since some folks do not see the image immediately, I proceed to bring a gospel message and point out that some people take more time to come to spiritual insight, just as it takes more time for some people to come to visual comprehension of this picture. I tell the people in the congregation to raise their hands or speak out when they finally see the image, even if I am preaching.
As I have preached, people throughout the congregation begin to see the image and they excitedly respond, some to the point of jumping up and shouting it out. Those who do not see it become frustrated and some even deny that there is an image to be seen. They accuse those who claim to see it, of pranking them. Some people actually become agitated.
This is just a picture, which I use as a tool. Obviously spiritual understanding is not attained or obtained in the same way as "seeing" this picture. But people respond to the idea of faith in a similar way. If they cannot see it, they deny it, for themselves and everyone else.
Once I saw the image, I could always see the image from that point on. There are several good lessons in this presentation.
