It seems quite simple…
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matthew 22:37
But how seriously do we take this? This chapter in Matthew goes on to say that this is the greatest commandment and that the second is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” No, we are not bound by law anymore. Yet, the law is fulfilled by love. In loving God with all our heart, mind, and and soul, everything about me is to be showing my love to God. My motives, passions, actions, and words should all be a reflection.
We can show love through…
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
“Discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
I have been trying to get a CD together for my grandparents (and whoever else wants it…but the grandparents keep asking for one) of me singing. I haven’t had much time (and the creative juices just haven’t been flowing) to write my own songs, so I have been trying to find a few songs to cover. So I thought of a few songs and started listening to them and practicing them. One of the songs I was considering has been played numerous times and I cannot tell you how many times I have heard it. The last time I listened to it, I actually listened to the words and looked them up on the internet (her enunciation isn’t too terribly wonderful and I think when I was singing along I was singing something completely different than what she was actually saying…haha). I was in tears when I saw what the song was actually about. They weren’t “oh this song is touching” kind of tears either. The song is about something that I feel very strongly against and I am so glad that I paid attention to what the song was about instead of blindly recording it as I was about to do.
As an artist who is a Christian, I really have to watch out for such occurances as this. I was about to say I would need to watch out for my reputation, but thats not really the point. I cannot control what people think of me. The only thing I can control is my motives and heart. If I had recorded that song without looking into it that would be a severe lapse of judgement, especially with what the song is about. It would show that I am okay with the message it speaks. I liked the song for the music and it worked really well with my voice, but why would I sacrifice my morals to show off talent? That is taking the gift God gave me in vain. I am to give my body as a living sacrifice to Him. That includes my voice and my mind which makes the decision of what to sing.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”
I not only like to sing, but I love to act. I have been in…4 kids musicals at church, 4 school musicals, one dinner theater, and numerous skits. (I am not trying to brag; I am just trying to show how much I love acting) In all reality, I could have gone very far with the drama department at school. When I began high school I had to make the decision of whether I wanted to go with drama or choir. After weighing the pros and cons of each, I obviously went with choir. The main reason I decided to not go with drama is because of the things that go on behind the scenes. I got a taste of this when I was in the musicals. Of course, one does not have to take part in whatever is going on, but isn’t it better to just flee? Yes, it could have been a witnessing opportunity, but so was choir, which, in the end, was more beneficial. Also, the plays, skits, and one acts they did were always questionable. Church always provides a good, clean environment for acting anyway.
All of that to say this. Remember who gave you your talent and do not take it for granted or in vain.
I love your choice of Romans 12…just read it today and almost blogged some thoughts on it myself. I also love the choices you have made and are currently making as you treasure the talent God has given you. I pray you will find the right place in which to serve Christ’s body in Mobile and be used of Him in reaching the lost. You’ve used your talents wisely and you may never know how many lives you have touched but God sees every one.
Oooops…forget to tell you the LIME is lively, luscious and did you know it’s my favorite color??? : )