Saturday, January 17, 2004
I was on one of my lists and a really nice person, posed the question of where are the Mother Theresa's and Martin Luther Kings of our day. I have to admit I was stumped. The only one I could think of was Billy Graham. She agreed, but added this:
I want someone who calls us to challenge our love of money and to shake us out of our self-mode. That kinda thing. Someone who calls us to a heroic life.
It gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own life and the way God has worked in my life. Here is my response.
Okay, I'll admit it I'm a pretty died in the wool evangelical, but the one who really shook me out of all the stuff you mention is Jesus himself. I was an artist (graphic designer), making a meager living at it at times but usually having to have another job to supplement my income and I was totally sold out to the idea of being an artist. I considered anything else failure. I had worked for a licensee of the Ninja Turtles when they were making bazillions in licensing and such and I wanted that so bad I could taste it. At the same time I was a Christian so I compartmentalized my life. One day as I was working at my job and lamenting the fact that I wasn't doing my artwork full time (the turtle craze was over by then but I still could see the possibility of becoming the next big thing), I felt the Lord telling me your art is your idol. I kept rationalizing that it was my God given gift and it had to be the way that I made my living, and He kept saying your work is your idol.
A few weeks later I was at stand in the gap (promise keepers) and the whole day the speakers felt like they had gathered a million guys ao God could talk to me. By the end of that day I had done the scariest thing in my life, I quit art. I should qualify that I had two or three jobs that needed to be finished that had already been contracted, but I finished those and quit. I said to God that I would never do art again unless I did it for Him. I didn't do any art at all for at least six months and it was during that time that God called me to ministry. Eventually He gave it back to me as a tool to be used in ministry. It's funny. I don't sell my work anymore and I'm better than I ever was when I did it for money. Art is fun for me again and now it has a point. I'm doing things now I never could have conceived back then because I was always looking for the angle and the pay day. I tell you my story to say that The ultimate example for selflessness and "non-materialism" is Jesus Himself. Maybe He's the only role model we really need?
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I want someone who calls us to challenge our love of money and to shake us out of our self-mode. That kinda thing. Someone who calls us to a heroic life.
It gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own life and the way God has worked in my life. Here is my response.
Okay, I'll admit it I'm a pretty died in the wool evangelical, but the one who really shook me out of all the stuff you mention is Jesus himself. I was an artist (graphic designer), making a meager living at it at times but usually having to have another job to supplement my income and I was totally sold out to the idea of being an artist. I considered anything else failure. I had worked for a licensee of the Ninja Turtles when they were making bazillions in licensing and such and I wanted that so bad I could taste it. At the same time I was a Christian so I compartmentalized my life. One day as I was working at my job and lamenting the fact that I wasn't doing my artwork full time (the turtle craze was over by then but I still could see the possibility of becoming the next big thing), I felt the Lord telling me your art is your idol. I kept rationalizing that it was my God given gift and it had to be the way that I made my living, and He kept saying your work is your idol.
A few weeks later I was at stand in the gap (promise keepers) and the whole day the speakers felt like they had gathered a million guys ao God could talk to me. By the end of that day I had done the scariest thing in my life, I quit art. I should qualify that I had two or three jobs that needed to be finished that had already been contracted, but I finished those and quit. I said to God that I would never do art again unless I did it for Him. I didn't do any art at all for at least six months and it was during that time that God called me to ministry. Eventually He gave it back to me as a tool to be used in ministry. It's funny. I don't sell my work anymore and I'm better than I ever was when I did it for money. Art is fun for me again and now it has a point. I'm doing things now I never could have conceived back then because I was always looking for the angle and the pay day. I tell you my story to say that The ultimate example for selflessness and "non-materialism" is Jesus Himself. Maybe He's the only role model we really need?
Friday, January 16, 2004
I heard today on Paul Harvey that it was warmer on the surface of Mars today than it is in Ithaca NY. I sense that he may have exaggerated but only just a little. Here in PA it's cold. The reason I think that Paul is exaggerating is that we are a lot closer to the sun than mars is. The closer to the sun you are the warmer it is.
Did you ever think about color? MY understanding is that we see color by what parts of the light spectrum are reflected by a substance. We visual artists are really nothing more than sculptors of light.
Did you ever think about the moon? It is basically a giant rock. It has no light of its own, yet somehow it lights the darkness. Okay what does any of this have to do with arts and ministry? I'm glad you asked.
It's all about reflection. The paint on your canvast absorbs something and reflects something. The moon has light because it is like a giant reflector for the sun and it is warmer on earth than it is on mars simple because it is closer to the source of heat and light.
Now lets look at you and me. The work that we do as Christians in the arts is a direct combination of of the light of Jesus (the son) that we both absorb and reflect. It's not enough to just create an image about Christ, we must also absorb Him, through prayer and the Word. Like the moon we have no source of light on our own, our only hope to light the darkness of the world is to reflect the Son and finally, the closer we are to the Son the more light and warmth our work and our lives will reflect.
Light up and fly!
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Did you ever think about color? MY understanding is that we see color by what parts of the light spectrum are reflected by a substance. We visual artists are really nothing more than sculptors of light.
Did you ever think about the moon? It is basically a giant rock. It has no light of its own, yet somehow it lights the darkness. Okay what does any of this have to do with arts and ministry? I'm glad you asked.
It's all about reflection. The paint on your canvast absorbs something and reflects something. The moon has light because it is like a giant reflector for the sun and it is warmer on earth than it is on mars simple because it is closer to the source of heat and light.
Now lets look at you and me. The work that we do as Christians in the arts is a direct combination of of the light of Jesus (the son) that we both absorb and reflect. It's not enough to just create an image about Christ, we must also absorb Him, through prayer and the Word. Like the moon we have no source of light on our own, our only hope to light the darkness of the world is to reflect the Son and finally, the closer we are to the Son the more light and warmth our work and our lives will reflect.
Light up and fly!
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
There's been a little change in direction here at amokarts. For a while I used this to express all m thoughts on ministry art and anything else here. I am changing direction on that. I have created a second blog called radically real named after my first book. (radicallyreal.blogspot.com) I am moving all my thoughts on ministry and other issues there and will reserve this blog specifically for the arts in minisrtry.
Inspiration comes from a lot of places. Lately I get a lot of mine from music. Right now I would be wearing the grooves off my Casting Crowns CD, except its a CD and doesn't have grooves. (If you don't have it, get it). Today though, I was listening to an old favorite, Smalltown Poets, Third Verse, specifically the song fire fly. These guys really are poets, check out this line.
A luminescent speck shining at the perfect time
Tests the temporary night and signals other tiny fires
Time to light up and fly.
Artists and creative people we are given an incredible gift by God. And ability to do what He does, namely, we get to create. Don't take that gift lightly. It is a gift of incredible power. We get to create things that move people's hearts and touch people's lives. Our gifts, given to the Lord, have an incredible power for good, but with great power comes great responsibility. We are called to be the light of the world. What are you doing with your power? How are you lighting the world with the amazing gift you have been given? There is great darkness in the world, but Isaiah wrote the people living in darkness have seen a great light. The light didn't leave the world, when Jesus went to be with the Father. He put in you and me. It's time to be on the move. It's time to light up and fly.
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Inspiration comes from a lot of places. Lately I get a lot of mine from music. Right now I would be wearing the grooves off my Casting Crowns CD, except its a CD and doesn't have grooves. (If you don't have it, get it). Today though, I was listening to an old favorite, Smalltown Poets, Third Verse, specifically the song fire fly. These guys really are poets, check out this line.
A luminescent speck shining at the perfect time
Tests the temporary night and signals other tiny fires
Time to light up and fly.
Artists and creative people we are given an incredible gift by God. And ability to do what He does, namely, we get to create. Don't take that gift lightly. It is a gift of incredible power. We get to create things that move people's hearts and touch people's lives. Our gifts, given to the Lord, have an incredible power for good, but with great power comes great responsibility. We are called to be the light of the world. What are you doing with your power? How are you lighting the world with the amazing gift you have been given? There is great darkness in the world, but Isaiah wrote the people living in darkness have seen a great light. The light didn't leave the world, when Jesus went to be with the Father. He put in you and me. It's time to be on the move. It's time to light up and fly.
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
What inspires you? The beauty of nature, an awesome vista, a rainbow a sunset. Surely those are some of the most inspirational things. To paraphrase Romans 1:20, the existence of God is proven in his creation, but did you ever stop to think about what God's greatest creation is? It's you! God's ultimate creative achievement is humanity. How do you view humanity? Or maybe I should be more specific. Do you see everyone as someone that God loves? Next time that annoying person works on your last nerve try to picture them as someone Jesus died for. Think about your greatest creation. How would you feel if you heard someone maligning it. Maybe we need to change our perspective.
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