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.