The Perfect Circle of God's Will

“For we are His workmanship [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” — Ephesians 2:10

The artist Giotto is considered by many to be the first genius of the Italian Renaissance. In the early 14th century, Pope Benedict XI was looking for someone to create the frescoes in Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. He sent out a courtier to collect works of art from notable artist to chose who would receive the commission. Artist after artist sent the Pope their best masterpiece, but not Giotto.

When the courtier visited Giotto’s studio in Florence and asked for a work to demonstrate his skill, Giotto did not pull out a masterpiece. Rather, he took a blank canvas, dipped his brush in red paint, pinned his arm to his side and drew a perfect circle on the canvas.

The courtier felt mocked. He asked for another work to show the Pope. However, Giotto replied, “This is enough, and more than enough.”

The Pope realized his skill and mastery from a perfect circle drawn freehand. Giotto showed that greatness is found in the smallest details. Mastering the simple. For a masterpiece is nothing but simple brushstrokes perfectly executed in concert.

I have always disliked this story. Mainly because I have tried for years to draw a perfect circle and can’t! While the simple things create a masterpiece, I would rather create a vast canvas of a complicated work where I can hide my mistakes and lack of skill. But it is the execution of a simple object that shows an artist’s worth; or lack of skill.

The same is true in life. We want to parade our perfectly manicured image around. Share our social posts that confirm we are doing great. Yet, the truth is seen in the simple. The moments when no one is looking. The parts of our life we don’t catch on camera and share. The times we would rather hide. And our circle is not perfect.

God cares about every moment of our lives. He has the hairs on your head numbered. He knows your thoughts and feelings. He knows what you have done, or not done. He knows what is true and what is a lie. And He cares about every single millisecond of your life. He wants every moment to be a part of the perfect circle He has drawn for your life.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” It is not your job to draw a circle of perfection in your life. It is His circle (path) that is perfect. He just desires for you to join Him. And the most important moment to join Him is right now! It is not about the monumental points in our life. It is not about the major decisions. The masterpiece is found in the simple, moment-by-moment decisions we make all day long. And the question is: will we join Him in this moment?

If we are willing to join Him in this moment (and the next, and the next…), the major moments in our life will be no problem. It is in the simple we master the skill of joining our Lord in the work He desires to work through our lives.

Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

It is the simple that matters. In every moment we have a choice. We can walk in the perfect circle of God’s will, or we can walk it alone. The masterpiece is found in the perfect circle of God’s will. And we will find that we do not struggle nearly as much with the major decisions in life if we choose well in the simple.

Today, the canvas is blank. What will we choose to show as our masterpiece? If we choose God in this moment, I know we will be able to say with Giotto, “This is enough, and more than enough.”

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

I'm A Failure, Again!

“My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart
And my portion forever.”
— Psalm 73:26

Currently, I’m sitting in a hotel room in Midland, TX. I thought tonight was to be a moment of reflection and preparation for a leadership camp that would begin tomorrow. However, I discovered in route (too far away to do anything about it) that it began today. I missed the first day. I failed my team. I was assuming this year was the same as the past 8 years and I was wrong. I failed. And there was nothing I could do to fix it.

Fortunately, I have a great team. They were able to work through the problem (of ME) and make it work. I’m working on adjusting the schedule to get all the main topics in tomorrow and make the camp the best it can be in spite of me.

Failure is a part of human life. One I hate, but often endure. I am physically sick to my stomach and ill from stress on letting others down. I have missed less than a handful of speaking engagements in over 30 years. Yet, I can remember every single one of them, vividly. They haunt me! They terrify me to the point I most often show up hours early to engagements to make sure I don’t miss them.

Failure is statistically one of the top two greatest fears people face in the corporate world. The other being public speaking. I fear both. I fail at both. I fail at most things. Yet, I never quit. I never stop trying.

“But God is the strength of my heart / and my portion forever.”

I often ask audiences to play a game with me; the opposite game. I give them a word and ask them to give me the opposite. I’ll say, “Up”. They say, “Down”. On and on we go until I say, “Success”. They always say, “Failure”. Then, I say, “Wrong”. They say, “Right”. And I say, “No! I’m telling you, you are wrong! The opposite of success is not failure.”

Successful people fail at a much higher rate than unsuccessful people. Just read a biography of any successful person in history. They just don’t quit. They keep trying. They keep pushing on until they get it right.

The opposite of success is when we settle. It is when we come to the point we quit trying. When we say, “This is as good as it is going to get. I’m done.” That is when we have done the opposite of success.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

This is for all the failures out there and I am one of you. I have failed often. I have failed in this moment to show up when requested. I have failed my family. I have failed at my job. I have failed my friends. I have failed in so many ways. Yet, “God is the strength of my heart,” and I desire to share that strength today.

For me in this moment, it means changing a schedule and maximizing my time tomorrow. For my family, it means changing priorities to maximize my time with each of them. For my job, it means changing my focus to capitalize on opportunities. However, if I’m honest, I don’t fear failure. I fear more than anything else succeeding at something that doesn’t matter.

Failure is not the end. It just is what it is until it isn’t. And the only way we can change what it is, is if we never quit. Trust in the Lord for your strength. Cast your cares upon him. Do not fixate on the failures in life, but look towards the future and allow Christ to work through you!

“…but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Wherever you are today… Whatever the failure you have experienced… No matter how much you feel you are lacking in ability, talent, character, presence or position… GET UP AND RUN!

Reach for the goal! God will be the strength of your heart! Never settle. Never quit! Act today on the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

I Love Us!

“We love Him because He first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19

I love us!

Yesterday, I attended the funeral of a man I definitely counted as a friend. He was always joyful, supportive and so much more. It is not often you attend a funeral and walk away with a theological lesson. Yet, with Tim Hellman, crazier things have happened.

The priest shared that Tim and his wife taught him about “loving us.” They didn’t say to each other, “I love you.” Rather they always said, “I love us.” I found this to be profound.

What is it we love in another, especially our spouse. On the surface, we certainly love who they are, how they look, what they do, and how they add to our life. However, Tim found the true nugget of truth. It is in the relationship. It is in what makes two individuals an “us”.

I pondered all day on this. I realized that what I love most about my wife is us. The relationship we have. I love her beauty (she is amazing). I love her kind and gentle spirit. I love the massive amounts of grace and mercy she showers on everyone. I love her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and follow this crazy man. But most of all, I love us! I love who we are together. I love the relationship.

As the Good Book tells us in Mark 10:8, “…’and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.” It is a principle I have often referenced, but haven’t put into practice in my language. What we say matters. It is important to love others. However, saying, “I love you” acknowledges you are outside of me; separate. “I love us” is togetherness, relationship; two becoming one.

Jesus spoke of this in John 14. He begins verses 10 & 11 with a question, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? … Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me…”. He is establishing the relationship. God the Father. God the Son. The two are one. Us.

But He doesn’t stop there. He goes on in verse 20 talking about becoming a Christian and receiving the Holy Spirit and says, “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” A relationship. Us.

How many lives would be lived differently if we understood that relationship. If we walked through the day as us, rather than walking as ourselves. If we loved us, rather than loving something outside of ourselves and separate. I believe God loves us. And we should love us too.

How many marriages would be lived differently if we saw it more clearly as two becoming one; us? To live and walk as us? How would it change our viewpoint to love the relationship more than the individual? What grace, mercy and forgiveness would we extend to us, that we might not extend to them?

I learned much from my short time with Tim. Yesterday, as I said goodbye to him for now, he had one last lesson for me: I love us!

When it comes to my Lord and Savior, I love us! When it comes to my wife, I love us! When it comes to my children and grandchildren, I love us! When it comes to my friends, I love us! When it comes to you dear reader, know this, I love us! And I pray in each case that God would teach me to focus on and grow the relationship; us. To walk through life everyday, not as an individual, but as us.

I love us! Thank you Tim!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

Hercules the Elephant and the Unbreakable Humble String

“Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.”
— Proverbs 3:34

Hercules the Elephant was a mighty beast. He was renowned for his size and strength. Audiences would fill the tent to see him do mighty feats of strength. He even lifted a car once. However, the most shocking sight was between shows. Hercules could regularly be found out behind the circus tent tethered with a small rope (not much more than a string) around his leg to a small wooden stake in the ground. No matter what, Hercules could not find the strength to break that string or pull up that stake.

It has been said that when a baby elephant is brought into the circus, the first thing they do is train it to the chain. They bring the baby elephant in and drive a 10’ heavy metal spike into the ground. They shackle the baby elephant with a heavy chain around its foot and leave it there. At that small size, no matter what the elephant does it cannot break the chain or pull up the stake to escape. Over time, it quits trying and accepts its condition. Eventually, you can tie the strongest elephant in the world with just a string and a wooden peg because it mentally cannot conceive of anyway to break its bonds.

Unfortunately, this tends to be the state of Christians when it comes to humility. I can think of few words in the Bible that are more erroneously understood. The concept of humility has been applied in the church much like the elephant is trained. People are constantly told to see themselves as less. To make themselves lower. Where the Bible calls us to be bold, courageous and unashamed, we often find ourselves useless. Tied down by an unbreakable humble string. Afraid to join God because we are too busy seeing ourselves as unworthy — false humility.

Don’t get me wrong. Humility is essential and beautiful. I’m talking about how it is misunderstood and misapplied. That error belittles who we are in Christ.

The word ‘humble’ comes from the Latin word ‘humus’ which means ‘of the ground’. Literally, being humble means the ability to be grounded.

It certainly means that we should NOT see ourselves as MORE than we are. 1 Peter 5:5 tells us, ‘God resists the proud. But gives grace to the humble.”

The one aspect of true humility rarely taught is this: Being humble also means that you DO NOT see yourself as LESS than you are. It means being well grounded. To see yourself as you legitimately are on this earth. Neither greater nor lesser. To see yourself true.

As Christians, it means to understand that without Christ we can do nothing. In and of ourselves, we are lost and wayward souls. However, in Christ we can do all things. We are forgiven, accepted, loved, holy in His sight and God’s own special people by His completed work. We worship a living Lord who desires to live through us. As 1 Peter 1: 3-4 says, “…as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue… that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Christian! Do not find yourself in bondage tied by a false humble string. Don’t be staked down in place by others who constantly denigrate who you are. Self-deprecation only inhibits our ability to join Christ in His work. Be well grounded in your faith. Be humble. Do not see yourself as higher or lower than any other person. See yourself as you truly are. A partaker of the divine nature.

True humility is found when we can honestly say, I am who I am because the Great I Am said I am! Period. And that is more than enough! That is where courage is found. It is when the living Lord is able to live through you in extraordinary ways.

Break the string of self-deprecation and false humility. Go forth in boldness and confidence. I’m nothing more than a man. I’m nothing less than a man. And neither of those matter. The only thing that matters is who God says I am. That is humility. True humility should bring forth boldness, courage, assurance and confidence. Not in ourselves. Rather, in who we are in Christ, and how He desires to live through our lives.

We do not have humility until we are willing to allow Christ to work through us. Let’s be humble today!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

Let the Child Sing!

“Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people.”
— Psalm 149:2-4

Wendy and I were in church on Sunday just going through the motions. I won’t speak for Wendy, but I was. We were standing and singing along. I was counting the songs till we got to the message. Wendy loves the worship music. I treasure the message more.

I noticed a young boy in front of us looking to the side and singing out with no care in the world. I was impressed that he knew all the words. Then, I realized that he couldn’t see over the people in front of him. He was looking to the side to read the screen at the back of the church that the musicians use. It was the only screen he could see. So, he was almost facing us, reading the words and singing his little heart out.

As the service moved from song to song, his singing became louder and louder. People all around the area began turning to see where the voice was coming from. Everyone I saw that looked at the boy smiled and then turned back to the stage. The looks increased in direct correlation with the increase in his volume. Eventually, his parents began looking at each other with knowing gestures. His mom finally bent over and told him to tone it down. That he should try and sing at the same level with the people around him.

I have no idea what happened on the stage that day. I couldn’t take my eyes off the boy. He quietened down for the last few slides of the song. My wife leaned over and whispered with a hurt expression on her face, “That’s so sad!” She was referring to him being told to quieten down.

As the song came to an end, everyone began to sit down. I walked a couple steps over right behind the boy. I leaned over and touched his shoulder. He and his mom looked at me surprised. I leaned in close and didn’t even try to whisper. I looked him in the eye and said, “You sing as loud as you want to! You sing as loud as you want, because you inspired me today!”

Let the child sing!

There was no problem with him. The problem was with the rest of us. We were the ones conforming to expectations. We were the ones trying to fit in and sound good! He was completely oblivious to everyone else in the room and was just singing his little heart out. It inspired me to see that total disregard for the opinion of others in pursuit of something pure and good. Oh, if I could just be such a person.

To be overwhelmed with a desire for worship that took into account nothing save the presence of my King. To cast off my image, as David cast off his garments to dance with all his might before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14). To break my most prized possessions in sacrifice to the Savior, as the woman broke the expensive flask of fragrant oil to wash the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:37-38). To offer up everything I have to Him, like the woman who gave her last two coins, her whole livelihood (Mark 12:42).

I think we often fail to understand Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:3 when He states, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” It is not just about being born again. But about humility. About becoming like this little boy and letting go of the world.

Stop trying to fit in. Let the little child in you sing! For if we do not, God will still be praised, but we will miss the blessing in it. For if the entire world was silent, the rocks would cry out in praise! But, oh, let not the rocks cry out. Let it be me! Let the child sing!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.