23 For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a
certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
Nehemiah 11:23,35
I realize that those two scriptures may or may
not mean much to you this morning, but for me as an artist, singer, creative
person often less than extraordinaire they meant a great deal.
When I tell people that I struggle. That’s not a
lie and it’s not said for pity or pride. It’s just reality. I get up way too
often in the morning feeling like a failure and that what I do doesn’t amount
to a hill of beans in the scope of eternity. So when I read in Nehemiah this
morning, as I’ve read at other times (but too often forget), God truly cares
about the creative. That brought such
joy to my heart.
While people enjoy music and art; unless you’re
an honest to goodness “professional” your value is often viewed as less. It’s a
hobby or a past time, not a career because it doesn’t come with a paycheck. And
while I have people in my life that more than value me, I don’t value myself
enough it seems.
So today I thought I’d post this short thought for those dealing with “feeling less.”
God made the moon the lesser light… and yet how
many nights have we sat marveling at it. (Genesis 1:16)
The mustard seed is less than all the seeds on
the earth… yet birds find rest and lodge there. (Mark 4:32)
There are parts of the body that we view as less
important, and yet, we dare not want to live without them. (1 Corinthians
12:23)
Paul thought of himself less than all the saints
(Ephesians 3:8) … but look at the difference he made in eternity.
David, King of Israel was the least of his brothers
and not even considered by family in contention for the position, but God had
other plans! (1 Samuel 16)
I reminded myself of these scriptures today, in
hopes of encouraging my soul that lesser is often as it is, so that God can do
the greater and receive the glory He deserves.
You and I are valuable members of the body of
Christ. We are irreplaceable by anyone else.
He cared so much about me this happy Thursday morning that He showed me in His word and through friends how much the God of all creation, cares about the creative.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them. ~ Genesis 1:27
I find myself asking,
at what point do kids stop considering themselves an artist. And then I also
find myself asking, “At what point did some adults think they were?â€
There was a social
media video going around the other day about the child of an artist who at the
ages of a two or three had his paintings selling for thousands. I rolled my
eyes, curled my lips and determined in my heart I wouldn’t be bitter. It was
just ridiculous to me. This kid was literally throwing paint on a canvas and
they are in awe of his talent. He may grow into an amazing artist, I won’t
begrudge him that. And I wouldn’t tell the little fellow his art was subpar.
But I would gladly tell the people paying thousands for it that their brain was
subpar.
I’ve never been drawn
to too many abstract artist. Although some I have found very talented. I could
tell by the way they created it wasn’t about throwing paint on the canvas, but
there truly was a method to their madness. By color and design, it was good. At
least that’s my opinion. If you like abstract art, glory to God! I just don’t
get it.
I’m going from the
prospective of the greatest of all imaginations. God. He just didn’t throw
paint on the canvas and call it a sky. The colors worked together. When He
created man, He sculpted Adam and Eve in magnificence! Look at everything else
on earth. It’s beautiful. None of it looks like an afterthought.
So back to my
original question. When do children stop considering themselves to be artists?
I don’t know for certain, and I’m sure it differs, but I would wager a bet, if
I wasn’t Baptist, because we’re not allowed to bet. But if I was, I would wager
a bet that it’s after the first negative critical experience.
If you know anything
about me, you know I’m an encourager. I don’t criticize. Even if I think it. I
may offer a suggestion to help someone, but I know that when someone creates
something, they’ve usually done their best. And I can guarantee if they gave it
to God, He would put it on His refrigerator. But He may not hang it in a
gallery.
It’s taken me 30
years to call myself an artist. Not because anyone has ever criticized me,
because that is the furthest from the truth. I have great encouragement in my
life. But I have no self-esteem. And of the few negative nellies that have
critiqued me, and they’ve just been a few. That’s all it took to squelch me
down. It’s what has kept me from making
a living at the gift God gave me.
I stopped taking
coloring serious. I still did it, but I didn’t take it serious. Most people
just stop doing it all together, although it has made a reprise in recent years
with the new adult coloring books.
Going deeper into the
realm of creativity causes me to explore why we are less apt to be obedient to the
leading of the Holy Spirit telling us to do something, to create something new.
Perhaps its because we fear that same critique of the world that we experienced
as children that caused us to no longer view ourselves as artist.
You might be an
artist of words, works, numbers. There are too many talents to list. What is
your gifting and is it something that you should be using for the Kingdom,
either for a living, or for a ministry. And why aren’t you using it?
How do we know if
it’s Refrigerator or Gallery worthy? All good questions. And worthy of looking
into the scripture to see what God says about who we are.
In His Image
He created us in His
image. With passions like Him.
For thou
hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
He controls us and
creates specific desires within us. He created us to create. I personally don’t
know of a child who doesn’t like to create “stuff.†It’s engrained in us as
babies from making a mess to making what we think is the most amazing piece of
art ever! All six of my grands love creating, even though they may not all grow
up to be artist. Praise God, they don’t know that. They just want to create.
I believe that as we
grow that creativity takes shape into different amazing things. But creating is
not just an artistic endeavor. Creating is doing a new thing.
Isaiah 43:19 says Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will
even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
God didn’t stop
creating, why should we. He went from creating things, to creating paths and
then using us to complete His work so that He can get the glory. I think people
and churches get stalemated when we lose our desire to create, or we just don’t
know the direction we should go. We’re satisfied with just showing up.
The church should be
an ongoing project of getting souls saved and that takes many shapes and
creative ideas.
I’m a project driven
person. I need a project to feel purposeful. And I believe that’s how God
created us all. Like Him, we are made to create.
Even every one that is called by my name: for I
have created him for my
glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
That
verse makes me very happy! I (and you) were created by God for His glory.
Meaning that when He created us, He created us to do something. Not just sit in
a church pew.
For His Glory
Where ever we are in
life, we are there to bring glory to God in that place. In our churches, in our
work and in our passions.
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands,
have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
God created all the earth and all of creation to glorify His name.
We have to have doctors, nurses, gas station owners, pharmacists and
every other position in life to make the world go round and function. But
all of those positions should point others to Christ.
“You
heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let
the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with
it; I, the Lord, have created it.
All of Heaven and earth work
in harmony.
This morning I picked up my
fiddle that I had had to put a new “E†string on because I broke the old one
tuning it. I hadn’t played it for a week or two and every string was out of
tune. It sounded awful. But when I got the tuner out and put every string in
tune, suddenly I felt like a musician again. That’s how life is. With artistry,
with jobs and churches. We get out of tune. We lose our passion and purpose. We
need tuned up. We need to find that creativity and desire to make something
wonderful for the Lord. A new coloring page.
My grandson Logan was
creating a Charizard. Which I don’t even know what is, other than it’s a
Pokemon character. But it didn’t matter. It only mattered that his hand created
it.
God wants to see some of
your work, your best creative pieces. And there’s a reason that Christ said
that we should come to Him like little children. Because it’s with that mindset
that we feel free and welcome to create. Not judged.
Don’t squelch your creative
spirit. God may just be getting ready to do something amazing with you.
Not By Accident
This was His word for me
when I was ready to back out of His work again because I would be judged. God told me this. He said “you’re past the
age where you can throw stuff on a canvas and call it art. Be intentional. And
do it.â€
God doesn’t create things
by accident. He had purpose. So should
we. Don’t ever stop coloring. There’s something about that child within that
helps you to keep in check with Who’s really in control.
