Who do we create for?
We like to picture the lone artist, toiling away in his studio for hours, producing art for art’s sake. It’s cool (kind of) to be the song writer who writes music only for himself and doesn’t sell out to the masses. Stay true to yourself. Stay true to art.
But I don’t really buy that.
Our creative powers come from God. He gave them to us to be used for His purposes. I don’t get to decide what I want to do with my talents. I can’t write music for the music’s sake.
So then why do art? Why take photos? Why organize a room? Why create a spreadsheet? What should be our driving motive?
Isaiah 43:6-8 gives purpose to every project:
I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.
God is the premier, ultimate artist. He formed me. He animated my body and organized my DNA. And He made me so that I might give Him glory. In other words, I exist on planet Earth to show the greatness of God. Everything I do flows out of that purpose.
My creativity exists to bring honor to God. I don’t create for my honor. I don’t create for the sake of creating. I create for the glory of God. I create to show the greatness of God.
This plays out in a thousand different ways. If you write a piece of great music, and then give thanks to God for the gift of music, that honors God. If you create a spreadsheet with excellence, so that every formula works and no numbers are missing, that brings honor to God. If you organize a room, bringing order to what once was chaos, that honors God.
I can’t spell out all the implications. Each of us is responsible for figuring out how we are to be creative for the glory of God. The point is that we are to create, and it’s to be for God’s glory.
Questions for pondering and commenting:
- What is one way that you’re tempted to create for your glory instead of God’s glory?
- What does it look like for you to be creative for the glory of God?
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
* What is one way that you’re tempted to create for your glory instead of God’s glory? That's a difficult question to answer. Simply because I try (in some way) to do everything for my glory, not God's. When I work I desire people's approval. I want to look good. When I blog, I want to be seen as an amazing, insightful blogger. I think it's a constant battle to live for God, not myself.
* What does it look like for you to be creative for the glory of God? It requires prayer and constantly putting the truth in front of my face. Reminding myself that I'm not here for me, I'm here for my Creator. I'm a redeemed sinner and I want to make my Redeemer look as awesome as I can. It also means being willing to do things with your talents that wouldn't be comfortable for you. Recently I was asked to blog for a conference. I was scared to death. I'm not that great of a writer. But, God in His kindness has used to stretch me. It wasn't what I wanted, but it was in His plan. It's neat to see how God works.
"Reminding myself that I'm not here for me, I'm here for my Creator." That is something that I desperately need to be reminded of. Again and again and again.
Well, if I'm going to be honest, sometimes my desires for my blog promote creativity that serves me, rather than serves God. That usually happens when I watch the statcounter, check feedburner, etc. The other side of that coin is when I get it, and when it gets put into a post. It just works. This can also be true of preaching, etc. Any time I try to bring myself glory, which is too often, I fit into this catagory.
What does it look like to be creative for God? I think you'll see a more humbled approach to whatever project the creator (ie: blogger, preacher, etc) takes part in. It's almost as if the writing has a different air or authority about it. Hard to explain, but I think I've seen it before.
I can relate to the few times I've experienced the 'humbled' approach to creativity. There just seems to be a different feel to things when I'm not so caught up with me! I want to be more like that…
Fantastic post, Stephen. I'm really enjoying this series.
For the questions: 1) I'm most often tempted to create for my glory for the reputation. I want the reputation. That means instead of genuinely caring, instead of genuinely looking out for others, I'm actually looking for the edge to build a name for myself. Yep, that's me… or the me I'm working away from.
2) I like this question (and answering it) better than that first one. :>) I think glorifying God is just a Christian way of saying we're showing Him off. For me, that means caring for other people, focusing on how I can serve them. "Love your neighbor as yourself."
"By this they will know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another." That's how to show off for God. Because serving others is a practical way to serve God.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Showing God off. Wow, that's a great phrase. So often I want to off what I can do, what I can be. Instead I want to show off the glory of God!
All the temptations for me are the same: human praise with little regard for the secret reward God promises.
I second the notion that serving others is an essential way of glorifying God. So, using your creative organizational skills for making your home and church atmosphere pleasant for others, finding small ways of showing hospitality by cooking, cleaning, giving a token of appreciation in a way and time that perfectly suits the person you are appreciating, and writing well-crafted notes of encouragement and edification all go such a long way to show that God is wonderful in your eyes.
Yep, serving is a HUGE way of being creative for the glory of God. I don't want to restrict creativity to simply putting words on a page or paint on a canvas.
Of course there is also the reminder that David the shepherd would write and sing his songs of praise and petition to God in the pastures for God alone to hear. That the secret act of creativity for God's eyes (even though no man sees them) is valid also is especially exciting. The artist knows God looks upon these works with pleasure.
I am tempted to create for my glory any time that I get in the way. It seems to be connected to intent…the "why" we do things. The minute it is connected to an intent of mine, however noble it may seem, it is for self glory. I like what was said in the article "I don't get to decide what to do with my talents". Truth is, very often I do try to decide. And once again, I am in the way.
I think for me to bring glory to God in all I do, I first ask Him to direct me, to pray that it will glorify Him, and to divert my eyes from whatever happens as a result because the results belong to Him.
Yeah, any time I can get my eyes off myself, that's a wonderful thing. I want to create with my eyes toward God and His glory!