“Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.”

— Psalm 86:8

In honour of my father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory, and his lifework helping Christians understand the Jewish roots of their faith, I offer you one of his devotional teachings from the beloved Psalms.

Whenever you view an outstanding work of art or read an exceptional book, undoubtedly, it makes you think of the creator of such masterpieces. Most likely, you held these individuals in high esteem. Nothing speaks so loudly about a creator as his or her creation.

And so it is with God. However, as awesome as God is, not everyone has come to that realization. We, as God’s greatest masterpieces, can speak volumes about our Creator to those who do not know Him yet.

In Psalm 86 we read, “Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” This verse affirms that there is no god like our God. In addition, the second part of the verse exclaims that God’s “deeds” are the greatest. The Jewish sages explain that God’s greatest deed, or more accurately, God’s greatest creation, is humanity.

God took a purely physical substance that is naturally drawn to earthliness and selfishness and imbued it with a divine spark whose longing is to return to its source. It is only due to God’s constant intervention that this divine aspect remains attached to the physical body — and the result is magnificent!

God’s Greatest Masterpieces

I recently read about a 21-year-old girl named Morgan who was pulling out of a parking lot when she spotted a man in a wheelchair struggling to make it to the store’s front door. She also noticed a missing leg and government-issued combat boots. She correctly discerned that this man was a veteran. Even though she had many things to do, Morgan got out of her car. She approached the man who reluctantly allowed her to push him into the store.

After some talking and gentle prodding, the man shared that he had just lost his wife. Morgan insisted on buying the man’s groceries, far more than the four items on his list. She also ordered a cab and gave him all the cash she had on her, thanking him for his sacrifice for her freedom. By the time Morgan was done, the man was in tears, but his soul rejoiced.

Morgan is an example of acting as God’s greatest masterpiece — as He intended when He created us. We all can serve as beautiful masterpieces of our Creator, bringing glory to His name. Every time we extend kindness to a stranger or help someone else, we exhibit the beauty of a divine soul in a physical body.

Your turn: Take a moment to think about how YOU can serve as one of His beautiful masterpieces.