Creating Art to Bless Others

This is a beautiful way of thinking, via writer Mary DeMuth!

If each of us approached our day with an attitude of “How may I bless others through what I create today?”, do you wonder where we would be in this world?

Instead of thinking “What can I gain for myself?”, we can actively seek out the good other people can gain through what we share with them, what we make and what we do.  We can approach each task thinking How can I impact their lives and help them through creating?

This is both incredibly convicting and incredibly encouraging to see the world through the wide-open eyes of generosity, to go where others haven’t before us, and to do things that are bold and scary to us.  There is a reason no one’s tread that territory before — it is risky.

But we are made in our Creator’s image, and creative He is.  He made all of creation for our benefit!  Do you realize that?  His aim in creating was for our good… and for the pure bliss of creating something unique and special (He’s the best at that).

God’s given us humans the incredible chance to emulate Him, to follow in His footsteps and do new things, or do old things in new ways, or shed fresh light on issues people face to help them rise above it (creative problem-solving).  Cool huh?

I think God smiles when we create this way, and we’ll experience joy when we bless others through the work of our hands, just like Him.

This is true art :)

xoxox
Summer

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Thanks Seth Godin! What you do is art.
Aug. 22, 2011, 11:58 PM

In his book, Linchpin, Seth Godin writes, “Art is a personal gift that changes the recipient. . . An artist is an individual who creates art. The more people you change, the more you change them, the more effective your art is.”  I adore this on so many levels. My heart in writing and speaking has always been in life transformation, about connection and change.

So the cool thing is, whatever you do, wherever you are, you can be an artist–one who enacts change in those you interact with. This makes a deep and real conversation art. This makes positive interaction with your customers art. This makes your dedication to excellence art. What you do is art if your heart is to see transformation.

So the question becomes, how can your life be art? How can you live and work in such a way that others change? What do you create that makes people stop, pause, and think? How have you shocked others (in a positive way) because of the creative way you view a solution?

This also means that any emotional homework you do translates to the field of your art. Seth continues:  “Sometimes, though, caught up in the endless cycle of commerce, we forget about the gift nature of art, we fail to do the hard work of emotional labor, and we cease to be artists.”

In terms of writing, I’ve read my fair share of books that feel cookie cutter, where the author regurgitates things I’ve read before. The books that stun and woo me are the ones where the author has taken a long trip down an emotionally charged highway and dared to think/dream/write differently. I’ve often told my writing students, “Great books flow from a great heart.” To create soul-stirring art, we must realize that we’re not copycatters. We are not simply purveyors of others’ thoughts and hardwon truths.

To be artists is to dare to go there. To be real with ourselves. To welcome the barenaked realities of life, stare ourselves in the face, and seek God’s interaction in the midst of our world.

Even when I teach novel writing, I emphasize this fact. We can be safe storytellers, relying on convention and what’s been done before. Or we can examine ourselves, live life more fully engaged. That engaged life can’t help but spill onto the page. Or overflow into our work and life.

Stop a moment today and tell yourself, “What I do is art.” Realize that as an artist, you will bless the recipients of your art the more you dare to be real with yourself and God in the quietness of your home. Do the hard work, then create like the wind. We will be changed if you do.

And as you deepen and improve your work, reward follows. Seth encourages, “A day’s work is your chance to do art, to create a gift, to do something that matters. As your work gets better and your art becomes more important, competition for your gifts will increase and you’ll discover that you can be choosier about whom you give them to.”

Be encouraged today. Your art is bringing you to new places. Remember Proverbs 22:29: “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

So persevere. Do the hard work. Give your art freely. Work as an artist wherever God has placed you. This world needs you.

q4u:

What prevents you from seeing your job as art? What surprised you about this post? What bothered you? What convicted you?

Sweet, Sweet Scripture

I like Scriptures.  They are positive.  They bring JOY!  If we practice them, we will walk in great health, peace, and prosperity in our souls.

Scripture is beautifully-written, indeed the most beautiful writing in existence.  Some may argue with that, but that’s OK by me.  I will always contend that God is the best Author of all.  In fact, He created you and He created me.

He is so creative!  God created us in His image, meaning we are creative too (wow, how humble of Him to allow us to share this remarkable trait!)  Creativity is an amazing quality, a powerful force, yet our Father found delight in sharing it with us… I believe it’s an intrinsic quality in every human being.  Just think of some of the most creative people you know: Didn’t their art inspire you?  Draw you in?  Touch some deep part of your heart and soul?  That’s God shining through them!

God is also light.  That means He does not — indeed, cannot — deceive.  He is honest through and through.  WOW!  Can you imagine never having bad motives?  Never pretending to be something/ someone you’re not OR misleading someone that you had pure intent when really you wanted glory, affirmation, money, status, power, or some other self-seeking desire?  Not Him.  He is pure of heart, pure of mind, pure of intention.  I’m reminded of the Scripture describing a man named Nathanael as one “in whom there is no guile”.  Jesus is described the same.  That’s exciting to me that Jesus Himself qualified Nathanael’s character as a man without guile.  Exciting because IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US!  One of my deepest, most heart-felt goals is to be a person in whom there is no guile.  That is my plea for my husband and my fellow church members.  I know God can do this in us — He can make us people of pure intent, pure heart, pure motivations.  But note the key word: pure.  To be pure denotes a purifying experience that burns away impurities.  I believe holiness is one of God’s chief goals and works in His people.

I wonder… do we tremble at the thought of Him?

Do we bow in humility when presenting our requests at His throne?  Do we realize we’re bowing before the Maker of heaven and earth?  Wow!  I know I forget that more often than not, and that needs to change.

Repeatedly it’s been burning in my heart that my heart needs help.  God, I often seek my own glory…. my own comfort…. friendship with man instead of friendship with the Man.  I seek the wrong things.  I stay busy instead of staying still.  And I repent — but do I really?  Because my history keeps repeating itself.

But then You intervene.  And suddenly I’m doing things I never dreamt I’d be doing!  Or old habits that clung to me for far too long begin fading away!!!!!!!  SUDDENLY, as in the blink of an eye, I am FREE to be …. You?  No no, You IN ME.  YOU IN ME — the unique expression of You as only I, Your unique creation, can be.  WOW!

How magnificent and wonderful and beautiful this creation is!  I am at times in awe of who I am when You show up in me.  But when You don’t, all I tend to see are vainglorious attempts at winning praise and affection.  Half-hearted attempts at, well, anything.  Emotion-led living.  Judgmental thoughts, a sharp tongue, and that ugly demon pride.

But You in me — that is a sight to behold!  That is where glory emits from my being….. because You peek Your head out and are free at last to use my feeble hands, my weak knees, my limited resources to do Your unlimited work!  To achieve the impossible.  To reach the ‘unreachable’.  To push harder and longer and endure well past my breaking point.  You, Sir, can do anything.  Through me.  Yes, even through me.

Most of us are well aware of our shortcomings.  But I like what my pastor said recently — if we as the Body of Christ operate together (as one), we don’t have to experience the pain of our weaknesses.  We don’t have to suffer on behalf of what each individual is limited to, not only because we all have CHRIST IN US (“the hope of glory”) but also because we can lean on Christ in each other to get us through.  And Christ is a beautiful thing, indeed the beautiful One.

But we must let loose our dead nature for the alive Christ to burst forth!  Our flesh only drags us down and keeps us — where else? — but on earth.  Taking on Christ’s nature and removing our dead selves allows us to soar in the heavenlies with Him.

Christ, who is our peace….

He is our peace.  He keeps us there, in peace, and at peace with one another.  He is the Keeper of the Peace and the Bringer of the Peace!  When we link arms and join hands, we are emulating Christ Jesus.

So what are we waiting for?  Why don’t we dive into the Scriptures?  Why don’t we — ahem, ME! — stop wasting time and FOCUS instead on Him, on His words to us, on what He may wanna teach us?

Why are we scared?  He only wants to remove the dead, whittle away the impurities, bumps and lumps!  He is making us beautiful, truly beautiful, what every woman longs to be (and every man longs to be near). 

John 8:12: Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I Am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Don’t we want the LIGHT OF LIFE?  Don’t we want Him to illuminate our soul, riddled with passionate lusts that the heathens are controlled by, and bring peace and healing there?  Don’t we want Him to rise up in our spirits and spread love, glory, humility and wholeness wherever we go?

Do you want to touch the blind — and them see?

Do you want to comfort the brokenhearted — and bring healing to their loss?

Do you want to snatch the hell-bent from the flames?

Do you want to cooperate with our Father in the greatest Redemption story ever told?

Then what are you waiting for?  Go.  Do it :)  Just don’t do it alone.  Take Him with you — and invite other people to share the journey.  For our spirits are willing but our flesh is weak.  Let our kind Father’s Holy Spirit illuminate His word to you, one verse at a time, and see how your spirit comes alive.  See how He bursts forth and overcomes even your fleshly temptations, your temperament’s failures, your habitual behavior.  He can, has, and will continue to conquer all.