Art as Devotion to God

 Art as Devotion to God

 

There are so many essays on the difference between art and craft, and in truth the two are so intertwined as to be nearly interchangeable. To master a craft such as woodworking takes extensive discipline and devotion, and to master an art form such as sculpting takes the same thing. In truth the crossover between the two is the personal expression inherent in each. In either case if a woodworker or a sculptor’s entire body of work was constantly repeating the same design such as would be made by a machine no one would think of them as much of an artist.

However, no one could watch a master chef craft every element of a recipe just so, and not say to themselves that they were seeing a great artist at work. And yet that art does not come without a cost, and as artists we can sometimes be stymied in pursuit of perfection or of what we see as worthwhile.

Shows like “The Bear” where we see Jeremy Allen White’s character struggle over every creative element of the presentation of a recipe before giving up and throwing it in the trash in disappointed anger demonstrate the tremendous struggle it takes to master both art and craft. Let us not dismiss the struggle as somehow being not worthwhile, but at the same let us not forget who the struggle is ultimately for.

 

God in his devotion to us created the entire world and everything in it for his glory as well as for us to flourish making no two of anything, no matter how similar, completely alike. He in his magnificence created beauty everywhere that the eye can see forever giving us a template to create from. His beauty is truth, and his truth is in equal portions, beauty. He created family relationships giving us both our greatest sense of purpose and if poisoned unfortunately, our greatest sense of pain. He is forever devoted to us as a creator and artist, and we who have inherited different parts of him must always be conscious how we can be devoted to him.

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I believe part of the secret of being devoted to God through art lies in the verse Colossians 3:23 exhorting us to do all to things heartily us though you were doing it for the Lord not men. So, what might that look like on a practical level? I believe, that like God our father, the best way we can be devoted to him through art is by making our art a creation that points back to him by being as truthful as possible and as beautiful as possible. The artistic gifts he has given us exist first to bring him favor and second to bring us joy in their creation as we emulate our creator by first mastering our craft, second in taking pride and joy in what we have created, and third by giving thanks to God for what we have made through the gifts he has given us.

 

Remember that in whatever season you find yourself in, a gift from God never disappears and his truth never goes void. If you have it in your heart to create, then do it with all your might because that ability can be taken from you in an instant – a dancer can break her leg, a singer can lose her voice. The soul of an artist though is never lost and with diligent care can be transferred to other art forms.

You likely will not be creating the type of church art as seen in the Middle Ages but that doesn’t mean that your art, given first to God, can’t be every bit as devoted to him. Can he be seen in your work? Does he shine through every bit of it? Just like Jeremy Allen White, we might be tempted to think of our gifts as not worthy, or not beautiful, but God who judges the heart first knows the beauty comes from the effort through which you will shine like a diamond.

Now will everyone else appreciate it? I can’t answer that for you, but if you give it everything you have and have mastered your craft and constantly strive for truth then it will be beautiful to him and that will be plainfully visible to all.