ABOUT ARTISTS 1 (Artists Want: RECOGNITION!)

I'm an artist, and I know as well as anyone that artists are...different.  They can even  seem, um...weird.  Just the way it is.  But here's the good news: God made artists, and He made them the way they are for a reason.  An important step for Christian artists (and I'm talking about songwriters, singers and musicians) is to know and understand what really motivates us.  Though artists possess many traits that distinguish them from those who are not artists, I'm going to focus on six.  (Pastors: this might be provide some new insight on familiar artist behaviors.  Artists: this might help us understand some of our "unique" traits and reconcile what drives them with God's purpose in providing them in the first place).  Here we go.

Artists Want: RECOGNITION!

Yes, artists want recognition.  It’s okay to admit that.  It’s a part of the way we were created.  But not for the purpose of seeking recognition.  For the purpose of being recognizable to people, because people require confident leadership in order to praise, worship, exalt, magnify, and minister to the Lord. 

If you were terrified to stand before people, to open your mouth and sing, or to play an instrument, God would have a very difficult time using you as a worship leader.  If you didn’t stand out in a crowd of people, how would they recognize that you were the leader?  Artists are made to be recognizable, not made to seek recognition.  If we are serving God the way He wants us to, we don’t need to seek recognition, He will ensure that people recognize us by equipping us to be recognizable.  Not necessarily in complicated ways either but, you know, with a great voice, a new song, a cool horn lick, an awesome guitar solo.  These are small things put in each of us that allow us to be recognizable as leaders, so that we may point people to Jesus. 

Artists have a need to be recognizable: God’s people are born with a need for solid leadership and direction.  Being recognizable carries with it an intense responsibility to lead and direct in the right way.  People are drawn to artists because they are drawn to the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The anointing isn’t spooky or weird, and it isn't some special “star quality” that artists possess because they're so cool.  It’s the Holy Spirit in us, magnifying and enlarging the gift that God gave us, to lead people back to Him.  Not simply to draw attention to ourselves.  The craft without the Creator is worthless, and if we simply seek our own “fulfillment” as artists, then we do all those that recognize us a terrible disservice.  People are going to follow someone.  Let it be someone that knows where they are going, and why they are going there. 

It’s good to be recognized as a servant of God.  It’s good to be recognized as a worshipper.  It’s good to be recognized as an artist possessing special or unique talent.  When is it good?  When the servant, the worshipper, the artist uses that special and unique talent to lead others to Jesus.  We don’t need to strive for recognition; we need to strive to live lives worthy of our call.  It’s important to remember that people won’t just see us and recognize us on the platform.  They’ll see us and recognize us on the street, at the movies, at Wal-Mart, and it will happen at the time we are most vulnerable – when we’re not “on”.  I am convinced that it is not enough for us to simply practice the presence of God; we have to live in the presence of God 24/7.  Recognize that God gave you talent to make you recognizable to others as a servant of God, and a follower of Jesus Christ.  No more.  Definitely nothing less.