To Emulate an Artist

Tonight I enjoyed watching the first, and probably the most meaningful, award show of the season. The Kennedy Center Honors are as glitzy and star-studded as any other award ceremony, but have a sense of reverence that is a refreshing departure from the superficial opulence of Hollywood. It's great because, as the years go on, I'm starting to recognize more and more of these people. It used to be I might have heard of one of the honorees... But tonight, I was 4 for 6. There was Morgan Freeman (amazing actor), Twyla Tharp (innovative dancer), Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who (rock stars), George Jones (country singer), and Barbara Streisand (all-around performer and feminine champion).

The best part of the show is the musical tribute paid to each honoree after their video biography. These performances are always very well done. But I got to wondering tonight how the people on stage feel, knowing that they are attempting to reproduce the work of a living legend who will be sitting out in the audience, watching their every move. It's probably about as exciting and painful as what the honorees experience as they watch these young people try to remake their greatest work. I love watching their reactions to each performer. Sometimes they have a look of polite interest and encouragement as they look down at the youngster who is trying his or her best to impress. Sometimes they look downright concerned at some of the liberties that are being taken. And, in a rare but special moment, you see a tear in their eye as they are genuinely moved by this passionate display of love for what they have accomplished in life.  It is a night set aside for celebrating creativity - where the nation's finest are given the chance to applaud and, for a lucky few, to emulate a truly legendary artist. For that's all we can ever hope to do. We can't outdo the best.

As I pondered these things during a remarkable rendition of "Teenage Wasteland", it struck me... If it's hard for a great artist to watch another artist try to reinterpret their work, how must God feel every time we try to create something? If you think about it, everything we do as artists stems from the inspiration we pull from something He has created. He was and is the Original Artist, and whether or not we are trying to honor Him with our creativity, all we can ever hope to be are very skilled copy-cats. I can't help but chuckle as I imagine Him looking down on a kindergarten classroom and saying, "Come on, kid! You call that a rainbow?" That's what God would do if He was selfish and shallow like us. But I am confident that He is more like that super-supportive parent who Ooo's and Aww's at even the most unfortunate-looking scribbles their child produce. He gave us the ability to create and, therefore, must rejoice in our creative attempts. For some of us, using our imaginations are the greatest way we can worship our Lord. It provides a way to express the wonder and beauty of all He has done, and - unlike the judgmental traditions of the world - using art and creativity for the glory of God is always a beautiful thing.

"In art and creativity we make visible to others the beauty and meaning God has first pictured, or introduced, into our own imaginations. In that sense we are each a small extension of the mind of God." ~ Luci Shaw