A young artist whose paintings had brought him renown was suddenly snatched away by death. His devoted sister was shocked and bewildered. Friends showered upon her words of consolation. Art critics praised his masterpieces. But it all left the sister desolate. A brilliant career cut short—she couldn’t be reconciled to that, her brother had so much to give.

One day she was invited to visit some friends of her brother. She went, and there, in the humble home, she heard how her famous brother had been the Good Samaritan—how he had saved a cripple from slow death, a home from the auctioneer’s hammer, and an old couple from debt and despair.

With the world at his feet, the young artist had lived the Christly life and done the Christly deed. In this his true soul was expressed more than in his art. In this the sister found comfort. She considered it his masterpiece.

It was indeed a masterpiece—like that achieved by the Good Samaritan when, seeing on the roadside a man beaten and robbed, “went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him” (Luke 10: 34.

A minister was once consulted by a lady in great distress. The happiness she had once known was gone. She was miserable. She felt that she had lost her Lord. “Where and how shall I find Him again?” was her agonizing question. The minister said, “Madam, go down into the slums; do kind, good things for these people, and you will find the Lord there—you will find Him in every needy soul to whom you give love and help.”

She did as the minister advised. In doing so, she found new life and new happiness. Her heart was filled with joy in ministering to others. She had found her Lord again. A new meaning came into her life.

Here again, a masterpiece was achieved.

Through neighborly kindness you can do a service that will be a masterpiece.