The Beauty of the King
Well Jonathan,
You’ve touched on a point that is absolutely evident and telling of the design and beauty of the world we live in. The craftsmanship of the universe and our world are without a doubt coming from a mastermind at the helm. You are absolutely right that many walk in darkness because the light of God’s truth exposes them and it can be painful and uncomfortable.
All this reminds of an article I read of yours earlier 1“The reclamation of art”. The topic I know warrants careful attention and detail. It asks the question of where the line is drawn between what is real and what is delusion? It is clear that these lines are being blurred by many. The facts are as follows: the belief that men and women are different is being eradicated, the belief that the family structure is vital is no longer apparent, “mental health is our new terminology for being depressed” or “my trauma” is a phrase used for when some get offended. There is much to say on many of these topics and so many more but there is one important one to address. One of these terms is 2“shock value” which is a complete distortion of reality and beauty. It is defined as “usefulness to surprise and usually upset people.” This is very evident on our devices, the content that we see and the advertisements that arise. If you are fascinated by story telling you may find that the plots, especially of movies and TV shows not even 10 - 15 years ago were far better than anything now. Now to some this is a subjective claim and a biased one. Yet to the Christian who has been awakened to the reality of Christ, even if he or she may not understand all of what’s wrong with the content out there, their spirit within them is disturbed by it. Everything with knowing God is a rewiring and a relearning of the world that is around us. We were once in darkness and lived in it not knowing the light. Now we are the children of God and we are those who have been brought into the light.
I will not by any means determine a hard black and white line saying this one thing is right and this is not for how we should live. For who am I, a man to make such distinctions. Is it not God alone who knows what is right and wrong? There are imperatives by God that are direct and obvious and indeed are black and white. However, how each person lives is between himself and God. The apostle Paul described circumcision and food as such issues of that time. These are cultural matters and not matters of salvation. Paul says in Romans 14:14-17.
3I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Our actions and our life should be allowing Christ to work his love through us.
Before God revealed anything to the world including his love, he revealed that he is a creator. The conclusion I came to is thus. “God has created, therefore I create.” Whether people recognize it or not, within them is the gift of their imagination and creative ability that reflects the one who made them. It reminds me of a conversation I had recently with one of my professors. If anyone reading this doesn’t know, I am an architecture student currently in my Masters year. To continue the story, I sit down with my professor who is helping me with registration of classes for the next semester. The first few minutes we sat and chatted about many of the items within her office. I allowed my curiosity and my eyes to wander to these things and she immediately began describing these things launching into stories about them. She had posters and images of graphic design items and theatre items and I could hear the excitement and pride that she held for the work she had done. Then something happened that I couldn’t get out of my head that really hurt to see. My professor’s phone began to ring in our meeting and she quickly turned it off saying, “Oh that’s my husband, he just doesn’t get that he’s not supposed to call when I am working.” And this had previously occurred on several occasions in other classes. I don’t have to know that man at all, to tell you now that he loves his wife. My professor has prized her work and her achievement and intelligence, over what really matters. God is a creator, but he also revealed that he is love.
What then is the Christian response to the world around us? How do we approach that question and line of what is real and what is delusion? Having our foundational knowledge that God is the creator, has made us in his image, and has revealed his love in creation, we can go forth in our respective talents and giftings honoring God with them. We can come up with beautiful songs, paint inspiring pictures, dance for the audience of one, write of all creation about us. Whatever ability God has given you, is a chance to reflect part of who he is to the world around you. To imagine and create is to be human. To wonder of what could be, and who I am in this world is natural activity. Every activity under the sun fits into place when God is at the center and we acknowledge our place as the created being. One of my favorite authors JRR Tolkien described fantasy in his essay “On Fairy Stories” in this way,
4Fantasy is a natural human activity. It certainly does not destroy or even insult Reason; and it does not either blunt the appetite for, nor obscure the perception of, scientific verity. On the contrary. The keener and the clearer is the reason, the better fantasy will it make. If men were ever in a state in which they did not want to know or could not perceive truth (facts or evidence), then Fantasy would languish until they were cured. If they ever get into that state (it would not seem at all impossible), Fantasy will perish, and become Morbid Delusion.
Imagination is a wonderful gift as long as its in subjection to the knowledge and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
True beauty was shown on a cross 2000 years ago that revealed what love the Father has for us. There is no greater story or imagination then what God has done for us. We the people, are his pieces in the story he has made. I hope that we will be the people that are concerned with creating out of the love the Father has bestowed. Blessings to all.
-Titus Chubb November 2024
Kutz, Jonathan. “A Reclamation of Art - the Thinking Conservative.” The Thinking Conservative, 4 Mar. 2023, www.thethinkingconservative.com/a-reclamation-of-art/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
“Definition of SHOCK VALUE.” Merriam-Webster.com, 2020, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shock%20value.
Nelson, Thomas . “Bible Gateway Passage: Romans 14:13-23 - New King James Version.” Bible Gateway, 2019, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014:13-23&version=NKJV. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Tolkien, JRR. On Fairy Stories. 1939.
Great stuff!