Masterpiece - Seeing Yourself as God's Work of Art Changes Everything

A: Summary Nicholas, K. (2017). Masterpiece - Seeing Yourself as God's Work of Art Changes Everything! Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University Press. In today’s world, material wealth has become our ‘god’ (Hudson, 2010). We have structured the society in such a way that success is literally equated to wealth. From their early days in school, all the way to college, our children are being taught that the formula to success is simply working hard in school and getting a well-paying job.

We have a society whereby people no longer appreciate the intrinsic value of things – instead, they are mesmerized by the price. It is for this reason that our world is in tatters. Morals and values have been thrown out of the window and replaced with materiality, which breeds immorality (Harris, 2011). The situation is likely to get worse if nothing is done, fast! The book offers an alternative way of life.

In essence, the book teaches (or rather reminds us) that we are God’s beloved children and that our father in heaven would not hesitate to pour his blessings upon us if we embrace his ways. God is merciful and willing to forgive us if we adopt a new identity in Jesus Christ. Instead of seeking joy elsewhere, we can grow it right below our feet by walking a new path.

This is to say that the only path that can lead us to happiness, confidence in all we do, and stability (marital or otherwise) is that of reuniting with our father in heaven. The book reminds us that unlike Christ, everything else we have in this world is short-lived. For this reason, focusing on the things of this world is likely to contaminate to our overall wellbeing. It is also important to note that the relevance of protecting our spirit from injury cannot be overstated.

This is more so the case given that we are only transitory beings in this world. Our final destination is what we should focus on. However, the book makes it clear that change is not an automatic process. It must be driven. It must come from within. In seeking to adopt change, the book tells us that we should rely on the Creator himself. He knows our true essence and is capable of directing true change within ourselves.

However, for this change to take place, we must adopt a new identity as the children of God. After all, we are God’s masterpiece and he is conversant with ever nature of our being. As surprising as it may sound, God, the creator of all that there is, values us immensely and whenever he looks at us, he is pleased with the work of his hands.

It is important to note that the principles presented in the book are helpful for everybody who is determined to turn a new leaf. Further, there are a number of stories to enable anyone to question the essence of life in today’s world and see the bigger picture. In the final analysis, therefore, the book should be seen as a compass that seeks to direct all those who interact with it to the true nature of God – i.e. that of a loving and merciful Father.

B: Concrete Responses In the past, I have participated in a number of mentorship workshops for adolescents. These workshops seek to motivate young people to embrace healthy habits and avoid actions and behaviors likely to complicate their achievement of personal goals. Towards this end, various speakers are from time to time invited to speak to these vulnerable adolescents (vulnerable because of the negative influences of the mass media, peer pressure, etc.). The words and advice of one speaker to this age group will forever remain ingrained in my mind.

To cut the long story short, in his address to the group, this particular speaker was categorical those who do not perform well in academics had no real chance in today’s competitive society.

In his own words, he pointed out that “if you do not study and perform well enough to proceed to college and acquire a degree, your entire life will be a total waste!” While hard work is essential and should be encouraged, making a conclusion to the effect that academic achievement was all there was to life was erroneous. He even went to the extent of calling academic non-achievers “cabbages.” This is the very same attitude that the book attempts to discourage.

At that very moment, I felt (and still feel) that we must not be defined by worldly constructs. The only good life we should desire is that directed by the Master Artist. This is not to say that we should not ignore ‘the things of the world.’ Instead, we must ensure that the said ‘things of the world’ do not define us and are not used as the primary basis for our joy and significance.

C: Reflection In response to my reading of the book, the most prominent questions that came to mind include: What is my purpose on this planet? And, does the pursuit of worldly success (i.e.

career success) injure my spiritual well-being? With regard to my purpose on this planet, what does the Master Designer want me to achieve and how does this tie to my God-given free will? In essence, this is a question that seeks to assess how free-will and destiny tie or relate – with my own life being the reference point. I fully acknowledge the creative power and abilities of our father in heaven. I also fully acknowledge that I am his child.

Towards this end, I am interested in knowing the role God wants me to play as his beloved child. Closely related to this is whether my pursuit of worldly success (i.e. career success) injures my spiritual well-being. While I am aware of the fact that I ought to play a meaningful role in the societal settings, I would not want to be separated from the grace of God by material pursuits.

Amazingly, the book points us to the right direction by way of alluding to the fact that all that is needed is identity in Christ. It is important to note that the said identity does not necessarily mean that we halt all of our other activities and undertakings. Instead, it motivates us to seek God so that we can reflect or project his glory to all those that we interact with. D: Application In essence, the book was immensely enlightening and it.