First off let me admit that I'm ripping this idea off from an article I read written by Andy Crouch which you can find here: http://www.qideas.org/essays/from-purchases-to-practices.aspx
Andy says, "When we purchase, we are simply freeloading off the capacities some other person has developed, and our own capacities change very little or, most often, not at all. But when we practice, we change."
I'm a musician, songwriter, worship leader, storyteller, etc. and I love to record music as well. In short, I love 'making'. I love creating. It's the same reason I love to cook or have conversations. It's a process that ends in an effect which you have been personally invested in over a length of time. It always sounds self-centered but some of my favorite music to listen to is the music I make. Rich Mullins said you shouldn't make music you don't like. It's like lying. But I think the reason I like it isn't because I think it's the best music in the world, but because I'm personally invested in it. I breathed my soul into it and even if it's a little out of tune, the lyrics halting, or the performance messy it remains dear to me. It represents the always moving life-story within me, a sort of index of transformation.
When we consume a mere product there's no personal investment. We are feeding off of the investment of someone else. We experience a sensation of having gone through a process but it soon fades and we hunger again. Andy Crouch's illustration is when we learn an instrument we do not get instant gratification. We slowly develop an ability over time. We really do live through a process wherein we invest ourselves in making something.
That joy lasts, even grows over time.
I thought about reading the Bible and following Jesus.
At first it's like handling a guitar, you don't know how it works, you can't get much out of it, but you keep practicing. You keep reading the Bible. Over time you begin to see how it fits together, the stories resonate and come into focus (or in tune) with each other. So like learning an instrument, you begin to be able to hear a coherent music, a certain song develops. As you continue to work and practice hearing the song, the voice of Jesus lifts above the tune and you begin to realize you are holding in your hands a thing that is calling you, as your abilities grow, to sing this song for others. Over time your skill and joy increase as you practice living and participating in the ongoing creation of the Song of God.
But there was no instant gratification. You had to go through something. Had to deeply invest yourself even though you thought you'd never be able to get a single sweet chord from that guitar. Your fingers got sore and maybe bled on the steel strings. Now you can make it sing, now you can make your own contribution to the Music. And others will sing along in the mighty chorus.
May we commit to deeply investing over long years in the practice of reading the words and living out the call of Jesus! That's life-making and life-giving!
I like the way you think. I'm guilty of looking for things that make me feel like I accomplished something without having to do much.
ReplyDeleteJay, you should read the article I ripped off. The central illustration is learning to play the violin! Ha!
ReplyDeleteso way cool Matthew...you show wisdom beyond your years and it is very challengeing to us all. Non-consuming is a tough haul...takes patience and loads of time for the actual toil involved...but oh, so worth every minute and drop of sweat. Thanks for reminding us all...Keep up the great work and works....
ReplyDeleteawesome Matthew, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about the music you create. I love the music that I make (or else I wouldn't make it), and the food that I cook (or I wouldn't eat it).
ReplyDeleteI believe that part of what it means for us to be made in the image of God is that we, like God, are creative. We have the capacity to envision something and then to bring it about, and when we do that, we're sharing in God's image.
I've never heard it juxtaposed with consuming, however, and that's an interesting thing to think about. It would be interesting to continue this train of thought to discuss those who create things specifically for consumers instead of creating just to create and express.
creating for consumers is an interesting phrase, right? We always create for two reasons at least: 1. The joy of it 2. for others to receive it and share in joy.
ReplyDeleteIn a way those are the same thing. We get joy when others get joy from the things that give us joy.
But 'consumerism' is when we get potentially meaningless 'benefit' from other people buying the stuff we made because we somehow convinced them that they needed it (whether is was good for them or not).
As Christians making good things, what are we trying to do? Maybe the Body and Blood of Jesus can be a good model (which is indicative of Jesus' whole life, which was blessed, broken, and given). We would use the word "consumed" to talk about eating the bread and wine. But the movement behind the activity is entirely different than how we think of consumerism. It's a giving of one's life so that others can be joined to that life.
When we create, we break and bleed a little, we pour out our lives. Not because we want to get paid, but because we want to see the dignity of life redeemed, preserved, communicated, and enjoyed.
We make as an act of dying so that life remains hallowed.
So it's not even purely expression. Expression alone is inward and empty. Expression as an invitation to participate in life is different. Jesus is always doing this. People asking for 'signs' who don't care about relationship with Jesus frustrate him. He's not interested simply in expression, he's interested in integration, in intimacy.