Acts of faith

Creativity is an act of faith

Several years ago I heard a program on NPR that detailed a music program that connected an American folk music group with a folk music group of another country. Neither group could speak the other group’s language. There was some interpretation allowed, but the task was to communicate musically.

One of the U.S. musicians said something that I have always considered profound. He may have been quoting someone or not. Either way he said essentially that every time he performs it is an act of faith. I’ve been pondering that ever since.

The idea is present in all art forms, not just performance. When faced with the blank canvas for the painter, the unformed rock for the sculptor, even the blank page for the writer, the next steps are always an act of faith. But this is not a blind faith. They have faith that all their training, practice, patience, and listening will allow them to express their life and love in some new form.

Time and time

There is intent and pursuit. There is no substitute for the time invested to learn (and that usually under the tutelage of someone more experienced) and practice so that when it comes time to create we can, such as illustrated in the videos in my previous post.

Some Christians and counter-Christians like to talk about spiritual faith as a blind leap. If there was a reason to believe, they say, then it wouldn’t be faith. I don’t think that is faith. To me that would be like someone who has never touched a guitar before in his life thinking he could just pick it up and start playing music like Eddie van Halen or Andres Segovia, or even Jack Black. Sure, after a short while they may be able to pluck out the bass line to Smoke on the Water, and that is a big maybe. There is little chance of doing more.

Christianity is an act of faith

I think Christian faith is like this. I see this in scripture. This is how the disciples learned. This is how Paul learned. This is the form of that era’s discipleship. Becoming a disciple was not a solitary, puncticular task. It wasn’t about converting. Faith wasn’t a blind leap, or an unreasonable act. It was built, developed, nurtured as a mustard seed.

We’ve all been given a measure of faith. We all have the spirit of creativity within us, that urge to grab the guitar and play something. It is a matter of intent and pursuit that carries us further, anchors us, so we won’t be blown about and feel over-whelmed or under-prepared when the blank canvas, page, or stone stands before us. We just need to have faith.

There are probably exceptions, some miraculous babies who seem to be able to create right out of the womb. But we all know, if these examples truly exist, they are the exception, and the rarest of exceptions. Why else would we consider them miraculous?

Thanks for reading. Please write me with your own thoughts. Also, please let me know if I have permission to publish your thoughts.

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