The Art of Painting a Mansion

There was once a rich man who seeks a painter to paint his old Victorian mansion. Criteria given was simple: He just wants a painting that will restore the mansion to its former glory.

3 painters came forth and submitted their art. First, a reputable painter of Victorian architecture, secondly an expert painter of light and finally a young boy of unknown profession, but is very keen in the project.

The first painter was the fastest to submit his artwork. However, it was rejected almost immediately. The rich man said to him, “I do not see anything, but bricks.”

Disappointment overwhelms the painter, as he thought it was his best masterpiece. True, any expert would say the painting was breath-takingly flawless. So what went wrong?

The second painter tried a different approach, entered the mansion to paint its interior. Being a painter of light, he relied very much on sunlight in his paintings.

However, instead of glorious sunlight, all that greeted him there was gloomy, angry dark clouds. Instead of trying out another day, he gave up and never returned. In fact, he never painted again..

Finally the young boy came, there was no painting from him…….but he claimed the rich man’s reward.

Hmm…what just happened?

The first painter, though he painted the best (at least measured with the yardstick of the art form) failed to meet the most basic criteria given by the rich man. Instead of painting the glory of the mansion, the rich man was really seeking perfection, to be the best…..to glorify himself.

The mansion is like our Father and we, as His children are called to glorify Him in all that we do (1 Corinthians 10:31).

“…But knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” 1 Corinthians 8:1–3

Many times, I find myself falling into this bait of ‘puffed-up knowledge’. Those words that come out of my mouth or my writings, do they edify me, or God? Do they glorify my wisdom rather than preach His love? I love to give my best to help others, but is it a propaganda to spread my ‘generosity’ instead of spreading His Kingdom?

I used to write and even aspired to make it into Hollywood with a life-changing book-made-into-movie about Jesus. Many rewrites and writing lessons later, this never came to fruition. I attributed it to writer’s block. But really, it was only recently that it dawned upon me, that I have put Jesus on the glossy front covers, yet I claimed authorship of that masterpiece…What have I done?

In this day and age, we live in an era where everyone seeks to glorify themselves in one way or another. The world paints a perfect picture of stardom, and humans are groomed to be superstars, whether in the artistic world, corporate world or even in His church. How many of us truly know that only things built on the foundation of God will last? (1 Corinthians 3:10–15)

As for the 2nd painter, he took a step further to enter the mansion, perhaps to understand it from the inside. This is the guy who tries to know God in ‘person’ rather than in ‘knowledge’. Perhaps this guy’s motives is right this time.

However….

“And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”- Matthew 13:22

When the storms of life struck the painter, he allowed them to rob him off his expectations, his dreams and most importantly, but sadly, his purpose. He may have started off on the right track and mission, but circumstances derailed him.

When I slumped in defeat with battles lost or when I jump for joy for victories won, have I allowed His word to be choked or even forgotten? Have I forgotten to thank Him in all circumstances? And that the secret of contentment is to find Him in everything I do?

Lastly, let’s learn the young boy’s secret. How did he, without painting anything, claimed the prize?

The young boy used to pass by the mansion everyday and his heart ached whenever he saw its derelict condition. Instead of offering to paint it, he offered to fix the house back to its former glory. He repainted the faded, peeling walls, repaired the broken tiles, fixed the fence, etc etc…Day and night, he labored tirelessly until every single defect is taken care of. And all these he did without asking anything in return.

You may think that with an eagle-like focus, no circumstances was able to derail him from his tasks. But let’s face it, he is human, after all. Many days and many nights, he thought of abandoning the project. However, the more time he spends on his mission, the more he loved the house and the more he understands it. By the end of his task, he already knew every single nook and cranny of it. In the end, the rich man rewarded him by allowing him to be a full-time caretaker. — Finally a happy ending —

So which painter are you? I admit, I’m guilty of being the first 2 at any point in my life. I have boasted not of the Lord, but of myself. I have allowed the passion in me to be zapped by the worries of life, sometimes so easily.

But I pray that one day, He can mold me to be more and more like the 3rd painter…and may He place in me desires and purposes that are of myself, but of His and that glories Him. Amen.