The Eyes of the Leader

Chapter 8 ("Leading Artists") of Rory Noland's The Heart of the Artist, one of my current readings, provides some helpful suggestions for me as I get more involved in La Fonderie this year. It definitely is worth the price of the book. In the section "Nurturing Artists," I was especially challenged by Noland's words about the eyes of the leader.

NURTURING ARTISTS

I long for the day when the greatest art is coming not out of the universities and such but out of the church, when the freshest, most powerful work is coming from Spirit-filled artists who have been adopted by the local church. Wouldn't it be great if more local churches sponsored art festivals? Wouldn't it be great if more churches encouraged gallery-type showings of new artwork? How about churches having their own songwriters? Or their own composers-in-residence? Or their own dance companies? How about a church that provids regular theatre presentations? Or a night of poetry reading by its own writers? Why couldn't the next generation of great filmmakers come out of local churches? (p. 264)

Those of us who dream about a golden era for the arts in the church know that we have a long way to go. In some churches we're working against a narrow-minded view of the arts, in others a strict utilitarian view. As a result, artists have left the church because they felt unaccepted and misunderstood. The local church can and should be a safe place for artists. However, we need to get serious about ministering to them. They will flourish and blossom if we nurture them. They will love the church and give back tenfold if only the church will take them in. If only the church would love and encourage artists, we'd see the arts unleashed in a powerful way. (p. 264)

Paul has a great passage in 1 Thessalonians 2, in which he takes the traditional mother/father roles and shows how they each contribute to a healthy community. Let's use this passage as a springboard for learning what it means to nurture artists. (p. 264)

Be Gentle and Sensitive

'We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children' (v. 7) The first thing to remember about leading artists is to be gentle and sensitive. Gentleness is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Jesus said, 'Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth' (Matt 5:5, NASB). We need to be sensitive with artists, not because they're fragile but because they're vulnerable. When you're an artist, you constantly put yourself on the line. You're opening yourself up to public opinion every time you perform or create. When people see your work, there's no guarantee they're going to like it. You're out there, fully exposed and vulnerable. So leaders, be gentle with artists. You don't have to pamper them. You don't have to walk on eggshells around them. Just treat them as Jesus would. (pp. 263-4)

How can you be more sensitive if that quality doesn't come easy to you? I have two suggestions. First of all, if you're trying to treat others as Christ would, look at them literally as He does. One time I spent several weeks reading through the Gospels, trying to discover Jesus' secret for dealing with people. There must have been something special about Jesus that made Mary want to sit at His feet, something about Jesus taht made the woman at the well forget all about her tragic life and start witnessing to the very people who ostracized her, something about Jesus that made a despised tax collector and a forsaken prostitute follow Him wholeheartedly, something about Jesus that assured Jairus his sick daughter was going to be all right. I think it was the way Jesus looked at people, something about His eyes. He looked at them with love in His eyes. (p. 265) (Bold print mine).

Proverbs says that 'bright eyes gladden the heart' (15:30 NASB). People like to feel special, and they can tell how you feel about them simply by how you look at them--or whether you look at them at all. Provers 16:15 says, 'When a king's face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.' In other words, my fellow leaders, whether you're aware of it or not, how you feel about those you lead registers on your face. They can see it in your eyes. If those under you see your face light up when you see them, they will feel accepted. They will be drawn to you because the look of love and acceptance in your eyes gives them life. Looking at people with a positive countenance, with love in your eyes, is the first step toward becoming a more sensitive person. Try it sometime. Look at your spouse or your kids and try to communicate your love with just your eyes. Try it with the people you work with. Let your face glow with love and acceptance. Try it with the artists you work with. You'll find yourself listening more intensely. You'll find their faces surprisingly receptive. They'll feel that they have your full attention--and they do. (p. 265)