Thought of the Day 04.14.09

There’s a simple philosophy in life that is far more accurate than any of us would prefer: easy and valuable rarely overlap. The general truth is that things which are good usually take work, and things which don’t take work usually aren’t good. This is why laziness keeps us from so many blessings.

For instance, all of us prefer people who treat us well, make us laugh, don’t betray us, and are easy to get along with. But, truth be told, we get more from the difficult people. They develop our patience, our forgiveness, and our humility. Plus, it’s the messed up people who really offer us the chance to discover and cultivate whatever God has planted in them to fruition.

So it is with art. Though we like movies, books, and music that’s easy and don’t offend us, the most valuable art is usually that which challenges and even bothers us.

Redeeming that which is Godly in both people and art is a talent which grows through much difficult practice.