Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
-Genesis 1:26 (NIV)
The most expensive painting over sold is one called No. 5, 1948 by the American abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock. In 2006, the painting sold at auction for a whopping $140 million.
What makes it even more unbelievable is that the painting looks like nothing more than a bunch of layers of splattered paint. To most people, it looks like something a 5-year-old could have made. It’s messy. It’s random. It’s arguably even ugly. Yet it is worth $140 million.
It’s important to know, however, that Jackson Pollock was a very influential American painter as well as a major leader in the abstract expressionist movement. No. 5, 1948 is not worth millions of dollars because of the painting per se, but rather it is insanely valuable because of who the creator is.
In Genesis 1:26, God makes a note that of all his creation, there is something special about those humans. We are described as being created in his image. Does that mean God physically looks like a human? No, I think he’s after the idea that we are created as an expression of his love and made to show his characteristics… Traits like forgiveness, patience, faithfulness and even creativity. Just like all art reflects the world from the artist’s viewpoint, we are made to reflect the world from God’s viewpoint.
Being made in God’s image also gives every human being a limitless self-worth. A piece of artwork is ultimately valuable because it can never be duplicated, so we too are one of a kind – a priceless masterpiece in the eyes of our Maker.
Just like No. 5, 1948, you and I are insanely valuable because of who our Creator is.
