The Gift of Art

I'm home from a meeting at church - a meeting of artists ... how to find and draw out people in our body of Christ ... value their giftedness (beyond just the typical written Word spoken and talked about, and then the music) ... let the rest of the body know more about 'their' body ... help people learn to see!

What's the 'help people learn to see' piece? I read a line in a 'art and the church' book about the fact, and yes, it is 'fact', that as protestants we are malnourished when it comes to our imagination. (I'm protestant and I have a lively imagination ... but ... )

Did you ever think that it truly takes imagination to read and grasp scripture? 

In this book it showed a bass-relief artwork of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem - he was riding side-saddle. If you saw that, would your imagination run away with your thoughts on the possibilities of that image?! The point, is that most of us would just register 'Triumphal entry of Jesus', and that's all.

Imagination thoughts?: Hmmm ... we think of Jesus as King, besides Divinity - why didn't he ride in in a Roman chariot, or riding a majestic horse? ... maybe horses are a too militaristic, warrior posture ... donkey, okay, peaceful ... but side-saddle? ... isn't that a feminine posture? ... hmmmm

I don't like filling in all the blanks for you. Just my hint at 'feminine' ... doesn't that help you imagine further?

I'm so glad the walls of our church are full of art. We want more. People still walk by without really 'seeing'. We don't have a white wall in our church, we have color. We are not a Black and White Church! There is so much color ... and I'm thinking it's way beyond the spectrum we actually see ...