Thursday 30 January 2014

Calling, artistry and what it all means


When it calls to calling, to fulfilling the call that God placed on our lives many of us believe you have to work with people, or preach to be in the divine calling. This morning while doing bible study my wife casually mentioned a text that sent my mind spinning with the arrogance we often display. In Exodus 31:1-5 God calls and inspires artisans with His spirit so that they might work their arts, because He needs and deserves the best. This simple text made me re-evaluate so many things. The most important being that to live one's calling one must be in the ministry and not in the secular world. The problem lies in this text. An artisan learns his or her art in the secular world, gains experience there, and we only acknowledge his or her work when it is displayed in the church. Now there lies the problem. When an artisan makes something to the best of his or her ability, is that not exactly what God asks in this text? When a secular musician creates music that moves us, isn't that musician also praising God by using the gift He granted? When a carpenter builds a cabinet to the best of his ability and the end product amazes us, is not God praised for the beauty added to the world?

Monday 27 January 2014

Why am I not as...


There are times when I wonder, when I compare myself with others why am I not as successful as they are? Why is my life not on the same fast track? I ask myself what did I do wrong, where did I miss the road to fame?
And then I read 1 Corinthians 12 and Galatians 6:4. Corinthians uses metaphors to tell us that God made each of us different, because we have different tasks to perform. As we are made for different things each of us was given unique talents and gifts. Using the image of the body it explains that each part is necessary, without a part the body just won't work the way it is supposed to. Sure it can work and one learns to do without if something is broken or lost, but without that piece the body will never be as efficient as it could be. Galatians gives the command to view or test all of our actions and to be proud of them without comparing them with others. Sure there might be someone prettier or someone who is more successful, but do they laugh as prettily as you do? Can they transfix an audience with nothing but words? Can they write like you, sing like you, see the world as you do or do whatever makes you, you as well as you do? Quite simply no they can't because they are not you. They also have regrets, they have unfulfilled dreams, things they wished they had or had not done. All that comes from comparing with others is sadness, depression and anger. Next time go look at your own actions, what you have achieved in spite of where you're from, what was done to you, what you did and be proud. And if you find you're not proud, change! It is never too late to become the best you that you can be, so go do that. Trust me it will take less energy than you would otherwise spend being jealous of others and comparing what never was with what never can be.
So if you're reading this be proud of your life, it is the only one you have.