Related Texts: Luke 6:32-36
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the third of a multi-part series entitled “The Gift of Art” where we will discuss this incredible and sometimes mysterious subject of “art”, how it is a gift from God and how we can best use it for His glory.
Part 1 // Creators & Consumers
Part 2 // Empowered Humility
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Have you ever considered how incredible it is that a painting can be recognizable to nearly everyone in the world? Take the Mona Lisa, for example. Have you ever met an adult that didn’t recognize the iconic painting? Or think about a song. Anytime that I’ve ever been to a baseball game and “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond comes on everyone knows the horns line, and sings it! The art that we create really can be our greatest vehicle to communicate what’s important to us. As Christians, the most important news to communicate is the Good News.
We’ve had an epidemic in the Christian sub-culture the last few decades where “Christian art” has been not much more than knockoffs of what is already existing in the world of creative arts. Music, painting, graphic design, magazines, literature, all of it feels like it’s been modeled (poorly) after something that already exists. There are clearly exceptions to that, and I must admit that even some art that I would identify as being a “knock-off” might be incredibly meaningful to someone else. So instead of condemning specific creations or their creators, I’d like to make a charge to artists to create with excellence and to promote other excellent creations. The basis on which I want to stand on this charge can be found in the Gospel of Luke, as the very words of Jesus:
“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” // Luke 6:32-36 (ESV)
Do we view the art that we create as gifts that we give to others? I know how that sounds; the concern is that we might be arrogant in our thinking that we have a gift to give the world. How many self-loving and narcissistic people have you heard say things like that? And yet, let’s consider what goes into gifts, and I mean real gifts, given with love. We want our gifts to be of high quality, don’t we? Nobody wants to give a gift that seems like it was dug out of the trash. We want that gift to be useful to the recipient, meaning that it should relate to their lives in a way that betters their quality of living or even affects them personally and emotionally. There are other characteristics of good gifts, but I’d like to really focus in on these two.
If we view our creations as gifts to those who consume them, our natural inclination is to want those gifts to live up to the expectations of a good gift, so we’ll be more inclined to really want our art to feel top-notch compared to looking like a knock-off. This is especially important to our goal of being mission-minded with our art. If what we create doesn’t live up to expectation of quality and we give it away to those who might not give us the benefit of common ground then we will be either laughed out of the room as artists or shoved to the corner with the other “Christian knock-offs” to be forgotten. I’ve even caught myself, as an artist who does share in the faith with other Christians, taking art with poor quality and tossing it aside, as if I couldn’t extend grace to those who share faith in Jesus as a common quality with me. It’s so easy to disqualify art that doesn’t live up to a high level of quality! Our only real safeguard from being ignored as “B-level artists” from artists all across the spectrum is to consistently put out creations of high quality and incredible beauty.
To consider the usefulness of our “gifts” to those who consume our art is going to look much different than, say, getting your dad a lawnmower for his birthday. Art only finds its practical value by the way the consumer is affected by the artwork, not how the product can be utilized by the consumer. We need to be ok with the fact that all art, not just our art, might be seen as pointless to some (no matter how wrong those people may be). With that being said, if we can lean into our ability to not only make our art beautiful but also inspiring by way of making it say something important, those naysayers may change their tune to support art that moves them. Dig your fingers into what it is that needs to be said and use your platform and medium as a loudspeaker to your message. What better message is there to “shout from the rooftops” than that of a God who saves us from our sin?
I see what Jesus said in the above passage as both a guide for the believer to be set apart from the rest of the world, as well as a missional strategy to influence non-believers. Even “the ungrateful and the evil” are desperately in need of the Gospel, why shouldn’t be use every resource at our disposal to communicate it to them? Let us be artists who create with such beauty that it cannot simply be dismissed. Let us also be creators who are so passionate about the Good News that it becomes one of our greatest goals to communicate it to the lost by way of our creations; as a gift to the unbeliever to introduce them to the savior who loves them.
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Kevin McClure has been leading worship in the local church for over 10 years in different capacities of student and adult ministries. As a songwriter, musical artist, and worship leader he has had the honor of touring the United States both as a performer and worship leader over the better part of the last decade. With a heart to see believers learn how to take the act of worship beyond the setting of a group gathering, Kevin is incredibly intentional with his time on and offstage to help teach the practice of worship as a lifestyle. Kevin lives in Omaha, Nebraska with his bride Hailey and his two daughters, Everleigh (8) and Eliska (2). His favorite food is coffee (lifesource), loves bonfires, and is convinced that Jesus is a Chicago Cubs fan.
Kevin McClure 