Why Art Matters for the ChristianSample

Art, whether through the written word, paint on a canvas, or the movement of ballet, can give us a new vantage point to see our lives. As the prism turns, it reveals new shades of color unimagined before. As we step into the light, instead of examining it from the outside, we begin to see the world with fresh eyes filled with wonder.

C.S. Lewis wrote the short essay Meditation in a Toolshed that beautifully captured how our vantage point changes our experience. He writes about entering a dark toolshed and seeing a ray of light shining through a crack in the wall. The experience of seeing the light from the outside was very different from stepping into that light and seeing out into the world. The experience of being “in” something differs from examining it from the outside. The experience of love and faith can be painful to explain to someone who isn’t in it with you.

One of the pains of this world is when our eyes have been opened to the reality of the love of Jesus when we marvel at his mercy toward us when each new day we discover the mercies he generously offers, and yet those around us continue to trudge along without recognizing the miracle around them. Art provides the opportunity to share our point of view along the sunbeam. When our eyes are opened to the beauty of God around us, we want those we love the most to experience it as well.

This led me to create a work with Ballet 5:8 called Meditations. It tells the story of a couple that, while seeing the world from different vantage points, holds on to their love for each other. It weaves together the themes of deep love and profound disconnect as the couple moves in and out of the light. As a thank you for walking with us through this devotional, we’ve made the online version of Meditations available to you with our compliments when you sign up to learn more about Ballet 5:8.

Art matters for the Christian. It builds empathy, inspires kindness, and captures a glimpse of the beauty of God’s heart.