Consuming (life-eating) vs. Creating (life-making)

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 see you but I don't know where you are...

Or "I hear you but I don't know what you mean" or "I'm here but I don't know where I am". It's really frustrating to be in a context and not be aware of that context. Have you ever had someone angry at you and you don't know why? Have you ever felt like their expectations were unfair? Have you ever been in an awkward situation and you simply didn't know how to respond wisely?

"No expectation is valid unless it is communicated and agreed upon by both parties." That's become a favorite quote when it comes to understanding how to function in relationship with people. You can't read people's minds and they can't read yours. We have to orient people toward a context and communicate expectations. Only then can we understand how to function in a given situation/relationship.

I'm a worship leader and I enjoy it. I'm also a singer/songwriter and storyteller. I am passionate about these things. I'm passionate about creating and communicating in order to feed relationship between God and people.

Last October my friend Brian Mulder and I took a month off and traveled all around the Eastern half of the United States sharing songs and stories. Mostly in people's living rooms. We discovered that, if we were to do that in a thoughtful way to serve people, we would have to give some sort of 'orientation' talk at the outset of each concert. People just needed to understand what they were in for. They needed to have the context communicated in order to understand how to function and respond and participate.

Most folks had never experienced a house concert before and simply didn't know what to do with it. Each time we explained what was happening, Brian and I could feel a sense of relief and 'getting it' breeze across the place. The context was clear, the expectations had been communicated and everyone was at ease because they knew how to participate. Fascinating.

We need a context wherein expectations have been made known and the parameters of participation have been defined. This is always the case in relationships. It's actually a huge relief to be here and know where you are, to hear you and know what you mean, to see you and know where you are. It's a way to serve each other, to be considerate. It takes honesty, effort, and humility.

For me at the moment, I'm thinking of how can I create a clear 'orientation' or 'mission' statement for the work that I do. I want people to easily understand my work and be freed to participate.

This may be a strange question, but would you leave a comment about what you 'got out of' a concert or worship time with me? What did you perceive was 'happening' during that time? What did it feel like was the purpose? That may help me see my calling externally and be able to articulate better a kind of missional statement. Thanks!

Any other thoughts?