Art and pride

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Bdonoho

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You guys, I really struggle with pride and selfish ambition when it comes to art. I’ve been washing dishes for a year now, and it looks like my art is finally getting noticed. I’m worried though that my focus on Christ is weakening and that Christ may want me to give up success as a local artist and do something else. I don’t want to abandon Christ for worldly success, and I can’t have Christ and the world, so how should I manage the fact that I really am good at this and the possibility of success is more tangible than ever?
 
I think you’re demonizing something that in and of itself is not evil. Becoming well knwn for producing beautiful artwork is not a sin, so long as you know fully that it is God who gave you this talent
 
Bdonoho said:
You guys, I really struggle with pride and selfish ambition when it comes to art. I’ve been washing dishes for a year now, and it looks like my art is finally getting noticed. I’m worried though that my focus on Christ is weakening and that Christ may want me to give up success as a local artist and do something else. I don’t want to abandon Christ for worldly success, and I can’t have Christ and the world, so how should I manage the fact that I really am good at this and the possibility of success is more tangible than ever?
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God gives us each talents and expect us to use develop them and use them. “Success” on its own is not the issue but we need to “give to God what is God’s and give to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s”. Also, “to more who is given, more is expected”. Share what you have out of love and be generous…doing so shows balance in your life and shows that you are following the #1 and #2 commandments to love God and love your neighbor. God needs “successful” Christians to help many others in need in monetary ways (talent) and uses many others who have less wealth in still other ways (think of the gifts of the Holy Spirit).
 
Bdonoho said:
You guys, I really struggle with pride and selfish ambition when it comes to art. I’ve been washing dishes for a year now, and it looks like my art is finally getting noticed. I’m worried though that my focus on Christ is weakening and that Christ may want me to give up success as a local artist and do something else. I don’t want to abandon Christ for worldly success, and I can’t have Christ and the world, so how should I manage the fact that I really am good at this and the possibility of success is more tangible than ever?
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No problem. Pray to God for guidance. Thank Him for the gift He has given you and that you want to use it to help further His will. The world needs painters and other artists. I have titles and success, but God knows I’m a sinner, and I know I will be called to give an account of all I did.

If success means you fear you’ll crave money or crave adulation, don’t worry about that. As long as you pray daily for guidance and ask for humility, God will give those things to you. I have “success” in the sense that I love my job, but that doesn’t mean I love God less. And when I can, I try to help the needy because I know that guy standing at the street corner with a cardboard sign that reads “hungry - homeless” is Jesus. Let others praise you if you deserve it, just avoid boasting about yourself. Humbly thank whoever tells you, “I love your work!”

bible.cc/proverbs/27-2.htm

And if someone asks you questions about your work, answer them plainly. Enjoy your talent. Every artist assesses his own work for its strength and weaknesses. Do not be anxious.

Peace,
Ed
 
Bdonoho said:
You guys, I really struggle with pride and selfish ambition when it comes to art. I’ve been washing dishes for a year now, and it looks like my art is finally getting noticed. I’m worried though that my focus on Christ is weakening and that Christ may want me to give up success as a local artist and do something else. I don’t want to abandon Christ for worldly success, and I can’t have Christ and the world, so how should I manage the fact that I really am good at this and the possibility of success is more tangible than ever?
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God would not have given you a talent for art if he didn’t want you to use it! There is no reason it has to be one or the other. Look at all of the beautiful Christian art that has been produced over the years.
 
Thanks everyone for your (name removed by moderator)ut. Its incredibly helpful. Any time I’ve gone to someone for counseling, I’ve had this perverse hope that they would be cowed by my skill and encourage me to pursue it and do great things for the kingdom. *However, for me this would mean that I could continue pursuing my dream for myself and get glory under the auspice of doing it for God. *There’s so much of me in my art and I get so much pleasure from the praise of others. *Had God not warned me, I would hear from him that all my great art was surely nothing but self love that amounted to nothing.

However, I do get real pleasure from creating. *Sure, there is the anticipation of how others will like it, and that’s part of the fun, but sometimes there really is this joy in being able to really be able to make something beautiful, overcoming challenges, or imagining a really great story. *I just wish I could separate it from my godless ambition.
 
Bdonoho said:
I do get real pleasure from creating. *Sure, there is the anticipation of how others will like it, and that’s part of the fun, but sometimes there really is this joy in being able to really be able to make something beautiful, overcoming challenges, or imagining a really great story. *I just wish I could separate it from my godless ambition.
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The purpose of art is to raise the human mind to higher things. God gave you a talent in order that you may use it to bring goodness, truth and love into the world in order to inspire others to seek God, Who is Truth, Goodness and Love itself.

Instead of wanting to please people, strive to please God; thus do not use your art to tempt man or to usher the human mind into sin, which is the misuse of both intellect and will.

To get over your pride, realize that God gave you that talent, while He gave much greater talents to others, who have the skill to create more beautiful art than you. Nevertheless, you have been given a talent. The problem today is that many people with great talent are channeling all their time and energy and creativity into evil. Take for example the talent of those who make movies that teach people how to sin, and by filling the minds of millions with pornography, gratuitous violence, and blasphemy, all in the name of art. Nevertheless, the talent He gave you is a gift entrusted to you.

Catholic are given the true faith and the Holy Holy Eucharist in order to share Christ with those who thirst and are starving for the goodness of Christ. Thus all Catholics are supremely wealthy as they were given all the treasures of grace and truth, in order to bring the light and love of God into a very dark and cruel world. As an artist you bring this light and love into the world through your art. It doesn’t mean you have to create religious images, but it does mean you have to inspire others to raise their hearts and minds to that which is good.

Much will be required to those to whom much was given. So don’t waste the gifts you receive from God on shallow pursuits but rather do everything for the greater glory of God. Put humility into your art and then it will be great.

http://imageshack.us/a/img31/1027/endpurpose.jpg
 
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