The art of faith
There were years when I struggled with my art. My struggle was not with the skill or talent, but rather with the service to the Father. I felt that there was no way I could ever use my particular type of art for the glory of God. Yet, wasn’t it God who gave me the talent to begin with? I was confused.
Hopefully, I have finally found a way to use my cartooning and humor skills in a way that may make God smile (that is, if He finds my humor funny).
All this useless goofiness
I was always drawn to drawing, no pun intended. I always thought that drawing should be a part of everyday life. It only made sense to me to add images to writing. After all, we have images in front of our eyes all the time, why do we limit what comes out of our pens to just words? In addition to the drawing, I always liked making people laugh. I still do. Put those two together and you have a recipe for a cartoonist. But does making people laugh with goofy images and word balloons do anything for God’s kingdom?
I developed my other comic strip Perk at Work (perkatworkcomic.com) many years ago. Then I went through a spell where I just shut it in a drawer. I felt that it was useless. And, to be honest, I felt like I was failing as a man. In my mind, men were these big strong creatures who like to hunt and get people in headlocks and saw wood and all that stuff. I never was into any of that. In fact, I felt that people forced themselves to do such things because it was expected, much like paying taxes. So what did I do? I tried to force myself to do those things as well.
It’s funny because it’s not funny
I told myself that I needed to stop drawing goofy pictures and making jokes. I convinced myself that I should learn a trade and become a manly-man. So I looked into doing construction work and/or other “man-like” vocations. I even worked a while in the construction field doing such work. And I hated it. Life started looking very grim – I wasn’t a man when I did what I loved yet if I did man stuff, I hated my life. That was not a happy place to be. Also, I don’t like using porta-potties on construction sites and that’s pretty much an everyday occurrence in that realm.
Slowly my spirit began to decay. I wasn’t making anyone laugh and I was making myself miserable. But, isn’t that what defines a man? Someone who does what has to be done regardless? Sure. But it doesn’t mean every man has to be in construction work. Maybe what needs to be done is to make people chuckle. It may not be rough-neck, blue-collar work but it still may be a service.
Gifted artisans
When I read in the Torah how Moses needed to get the gifted artisans to make things for him, I got excited. There were artists in the wilderness? And God actually had jobs for them? Wow! This changes everything! All of a sudden, I knew that I could use my talents for God somehow. I wasn’t sure how, but somehow.
Artists think different. God puts an artistic spirit in His artists so that they can give a certain glory to Him. I tried to kill that spirit inside of me because I thought God didn’t want anything to do with it. Shame on me. It was God who put it there. And now I am giving back a portion of what He gave me.
I’m glad that God was able to use that reference to get through to you. It’s never a good thing when you’re miserable, and God loves us too much to want us miserable.
I personally think that God has a great sense of humor – otherwise, since we are made in his image, where did it come from? Satan isn’t a creator, he’s a counterfeiter, and I can’t see laughter and joy being a very effective weapon AGAINST God in any case – can you? When people are happy and know they’re blessed, they’re more likely to praise God for it.
Not only that, but the Bible does say that ‘the Joy of the Lord is my strength,’ and all through the Bible, particularly shown in the Old Testament, people sang and danced before the Lord to to show their awe and love of Him, as well as making things with their hands – which to me includes the drawing and engraving that was done on many items. You fit right in!
Sometimes I think that God must just sit back and laugh at us as we hurry around doing the things that we think are important. Don’t we find joy in our children as they grow and do things to please us and to try to impress us? And yes sometimes we laugh at the things they do and say. Sometimes all they, and we, really need to do is say ‘I love you – with ALL of me!’ Drawing and singing and dancing – any of the ‘arts’ – can come directly out of a heart filled with love for a magnificent creator!
*laughin* I didn’t start out to write you a book, but it just came out so I hope it only encourages and doesn’t frustrate or irritate. I was just trying to tell you that I have also found that the things that bring me joy through my arts seem to be there so that I can show others how wonderful the God we serve is.
Be blessed!
Thank you for your encouraging words. I’ve found much peace as of late.