I knew very little about author, Sho Baraka, before reading this book. I did know he was a Christian rapper/musician. I found out he is also an excellent communicator, well-read, a poet, and a thinker/theologian.

This book is primarily about creativity and work/art. The opening of Baraka’s book was stellar. In spite of it being a fairly short book, there are so many quotes I would love to share. I’ll choose a few and you’ll just have to read the book yourself to not miss out on the others. I’ll begin with a quote that gives a general overview.

“The creative life seeks to produce or restore the blessings of a truth that benefits more than just ourselves. It seeks to reform our souls and society. It recognizes the evils around us while not allowing them to paralyze us. To do this work well, we must always be doing inventory on our hearts and hands...The creative life honors the Spirit that inspires us while fixing our eyes on a redemptive future in which God has invited us to participate.”

We must have a sober view of ourselves and others. Even King David, a man after God’s own heart, sinned against God and others. We need to tell the whole truth in our art, not just pieces of the truth.

“Everyone’s hero has the potential to be a villain to others. Work that seems good to you may be a curse to others. We must understand the complex composition of our lives. We have the propensity to be both heroes and villains. It is very possible for you to be an oppressor and a liberator...We sing the songs and praises of David. We read the gems of Paul. However, I’m sure Uriah’s relatives felt anger at the very mention of the king. I’m sure the family members of those persecuted by Paul had some contempt for his letters. Individuals are complex, and their legacies are complicated. How we tell their stories can have a bigger impact than the bloodshed itself.”

“Our work is spiritual because of how we work, not where we work.” Our daily faithfulness is of utmost importance. We must be faithful with little before we are ready to be faithful with much. Small things matter and compound over time. “People don’t wake up heroes; they decide to participate in daily practices that push them toward heroism.”

If you are a writer, artist or enjoy theology, you will appreciate this book. I received an ARC copy from the publisher and net galley in exchange for my honest opinion.