We arrive now at some little descriptors of people that are very special to me. I mentioned them in passing recently:
You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. Exodus 28:3
But there are more passages on this same subject, so let’s delve into this as its own topic.
Some people God has made to imagine, to create, to craft, to perfect, to generate and write and illustrate and perform and produce. He fills those people with a spirit of skill. These are the people who picture something, rather than just seeing what is already there. They are the people who practice for years, just to master a skill, because they delight in it. The people who are unafraid to begin an impossible project, because they have the drive to take the first step. And they are the ones who stick with a project, refining and polishing, to drive past the point of “pretty good,” but keep going until it is truly excellent.
And here’s the most important part: They do it because God has filled them with a spirit. It is not just their out-of-balance, self-absorbed, obsessive fastidiousness, not just their undefined inborn need to create—it is a gift and a calling from their Maker, who makes excellent things Himself.
There are certainly dangers to being an artistic person, of course. The temptation to see God’s glory in creation and desire to gain glory for self by creating so as to impress others. The temptation to think more highly of yourself than you ought to. The temptation to neglect relationships, or exploit relationships, in the headlong pursuit of personal achievements. But . . .
But. There is also the undeniable godly calling to be an artist to the glory of God! It is NOT something to be repented of, but to be obedient in! It takes maturity to know where the calling stops and the selfish tinkering begins.
This is a gift with a heavy responsibility to diligently finish the task, to do the hard things, to settle for nothing less than best, to start over and make a dozen prototypes, just to get it right, down to the final detail.
See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, . . . Exodus 35:30-31
God calls by name! Not just a generic, “Anyone know how to knit?” But setting apart someone from birth.
God then fills him with five things:
1. the Spirit of God. Right motives.
2. Skill. Right teachers.
3. Intelligence. Right genetics.
4. Knowledge. Right training.
5. Craftsmanship. Right personality.
Have you heard the 10,000 hour rule? They have found that there is one thing that every world-class artist has in common: They have all spent 10,000 hours doing the same thing over and over, until they are better at it than anyone else. For years, they didn’t have other hobbies, they ignored social occasions and honed their skills by spending hours a day for years at a time. Maybe young Bezalel, as he was growing up, was prodded by parents and ridiculed by peers, and he couldn’t explain why, but he was driven to hone his skills. Maybe he himself wanted to have a more balanced life, but his magnificent obsession would not let him go. Either way, when the call came, this man was ready. How tremendously affirming it must have been to hear himself called out by name and charged with this sacred responsibility to make things that would be worthy of God’s Presence! And how needed were those words of affirmation, given the daunting challenge of crafting something that would bear His Presence!
And God calls Bezalel to do six or more artistic things:
1. to devise artistic designs. Creative imagination, meticulous drawing and math skills
2. to work in gold and silver and bronze. Multiple metals, varied experience
3. in cutting stones for setting. Knowledge of technique and tools
4. in carving wood. More knowledge of technique and more tools
5. for work in every skilled craft. Breadth of experience. Master of all trades!
6. And he has inspired him to teach. AND he is a collaborator with communication skills!
And if God calls, He equips. Never forget that. Moses learned it at the burning bush. God has given—filled, even—these men the skills they need!
He has filled them with skill
to do every sort of work
done by an engraver
or by a designer
or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns
and fine twined linen,
or by a weaver-
by any sort of workman or skilled designer. Exodus 35:30-35
Later, the LORD reiterates:
"Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the LORD has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded." And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. Exodus 36:1-2
Many generations later, David likewise was setting up the Temple music by calling musicians. Here’s how it is described:
David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.
Are you kidding me?! This is every musician’s dream! They are actually seeking someone who should PLAY LOUDLY! No one has EVER asked for THAT before!
So the Levites appointed three principal musicians, Heman, Asaph and Ethan; and of the second order there were 13 more. The three appointed men sounded bronze cymbals (loudly!), with 8 harpists and 6 lyre players. All of them sang, “as with one voice.” And they appointed Kenaniah (let’s just call him Ken, for short) as DIRECTOR OF THE MUSIC, “for he understood it.” (It pays to learn to read music, and to know how to play all those instruments, and how to compose and arrange, I suppose!)
1 Chronicles 15:16-22
YOUR ENCOUNTER
In the movie Chariots of Fire, the story of Eric Liddell is being told. Eric was called to be a missionary to China, but along the way he ended up running in the Olympics. His sister is concerned that with all of his training, Eric has lost track of God’s calling on his life. Here is my remembrance of his great speech to her:
”Jennie, Jennie. Don’t fret yourself.”
”But I DO fret myself, Eric…”
”I believe that God has made me for China. But He has also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
So, let this be an encouragement to you, my artistic friend. He knows your name. He is the One who gave you that skill. He placed that fire in your belly. Do what you to do His glory! He is pleased with your offering, as you give it to Him! Do you sense His pleasure when you run? Then run! Run like the wind! Run as if God were depending on you to bring Him glory in your running!
In fact, I challenge you to do this: Create something, and give it to God as a kind of firstfruits of the gifts that He has placed in you. It doesn’t have to be great—our best artistry is nothing more than a handful of dandelions or a crayon scribbling to the Great Artist, you know. But know this: when you bring Him that fistful of flowers, he treats it for the gift that it is, and puts them in a vase on the center of the table. He posts your scribblings with a magnet on the refrigerator door, because He knows that it was given in love, and it was your best. So confidently take a risk and make Him something. Share it with a friend, and write about it in your journal.