Self Portrait Based on Matthew 5:30

Oil on Canvas

26 x 80 inches

The verse in the ancient text says this, “And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (NIV) 

This graphic imagery left an impression on me as I pondered how brutal sacrifice can be. The self portrait is direct confrontation, posing the question to the viewer: “Is it worth it to sacrifice something of irreplaceable worth for the potential greater good of the whole?” I have found myself in this dilemma more than once.