His Masterpiece

Once an artist wanted to sell off his paintings. Among the artifacts, there was a particular one he held dear to his heart. Initially, he didn’t want to sell it because of how precious and valuable it was to him, but after much thought, he decided to sell it off for it to satisfy the purpose of its invention – that is, to be appreciated by whom it ends up with.

Therefore, when he finally decided to sell it off, he decided not to underprice it so as to attract very few buyers whom he could be certain truly recognized the uniqueness of the artifact and wished to buy it for its value, and not just because of its beauty.

And so, though the rest of the paintings got bought readily on the exhibition day, leaving behind that particular one which occupied a special space in his heart, he wasn’t troubled.

Days passed by after the exhibition, then weeks, followed by months, as though no one would turn up for the remaining piece of painting.

One day, his subordinate asked him, “Don’t you fear no one might buy this particular painting? Why not cheapen the price to accelerate the chance of selling it off quickly?”

He replied, saying, “I am reserving my best piece for the last minute. Do you remember the story of Jesus turning water into wine? Do you also remember the question the host asked after tasting the wine (and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now’ – John 2:10)?”

While they were still discussing the piece, a buyer walked in, wanting to buy the piece at the set price. But looking at the face of the young lady as she enquired about the piece, the Master was intrigued and decided to quiz her on how she heard about it and what her motivation was for wanting to buy that particular piece.

She replied that she overheard a conversation at the salon when she was getting her hair done, that the piece has very unique colors, and considering its price, she was certain her longtime crush of a boyfriend would finally begin to take interest in her when she buys it for him.

To the Master’s surprise, her so-called crush was his very own subordinate, working under him for the purpose of earning a living, and not for the love of the job. He was also the same person suggesting to the Master that he should cheapen the price of the piece to get it readily sold out.

Realizing this, the Master decided not to sell off the piece to the buyer, even though she had the money to pay for the amount charged.

With disappointment, the young lady walked out, leaving the painting as it remained in the shop for an extra three months. Then, a middle-aged gentleman walked in to enquire about it one day.

When questioned why he wanted to buy the piece, the man explained that, growing up, he lost his parents and almost got dropped out of school until a Good Samaritan named Mr. Ernest Asiedu showed up in his life and financially supported him till he completed his education.

God being good, and by dint of hard work, he’s now a wealthy engineer who has no need, but he has been meaning to pay a visit to his benefactor, whom he chanced on in his sick bed at the hospital after losing contact with him for years.

When asked why this particular gift, he explained that his benefactor was once an inspirational painter, but due to hardship, he had to fold up his painting business in order to work for some other firms to be able to make a living for his family. Considering his strong interest in painting and his knowledge in the field, there’s none other who can better see the great efforts that have gone into achieving the uniqueness of the piece than him.

And that he will be satisfied when he knows his gift touched the heart of his benefactor.

Upon hearing this, the Master confidently handed the piece to the buyer, who went away with great joy.

The inspiration behind this write-up is to let you, who feel God has delayed you, regardless of what it is you’re expecting from God, just know that He’s got you! Also, take note that the people in your life are carefully selected to be able to deal with a version of you, and that version necessitates that you undergo certain experiences, regardless of how unpleasant they may be, in order to fit into the Master’s plan.

God’s delay may be that He’s preparing your prayer request (that thing you’re waiting for), or He’s preparing you to be able to attain the value needed to handle His masterpiece.

Lessons:

• Patience is key. The Master waited for the right buyer, and his patience paid off. Similarly, we must learn to wait on God’s timing, trusting that He is working everything out for our good.
• True value is not measured by price or popularity, but by the heart and intention behind it. The Master’s painting was not just a piece of art, but a reflection of his soul. Likewise, our worth and value come not from external validation, but from our inherent worth as unique individuals.