Are you, your favorite photographer?

Image by Miles Smith

Romans 12:1-5

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ³ Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. ⁴ Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵ so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 

This morning devotional from InTouch had a favorite Scripture reference for me, Romans 12:1-5 above.  It contasins one of the most valuable warnings in all scripture;   Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves.  As a photographer it’s tempting to see the result of all your hard work as more glorious than it may be.  As a way to combat that, I’ve made it a practice to pick photographers who’s work I greatly admire and look at their work as often as possible, as a reminder of how much I have to learn!  I love the work of Tony Sweet, and a friend, Myles Smith (image at the top) is very much in the mold of  Tony.  I love my teaching partner, Jim Begley’s work, and I have always loved Christopher Burkett’s incredible landscapes.  I have many other favorites but the important thing is my work is “not” my favorite.  How do you develop a healthy attitude about your own efforts?   The best key is in the scripture above, “be honest in your evaluation of yourselves….”  We all know how our work stacks up, because we have spent a lifetime comparing ourselves to others, but that is missing the point.  There is only one worthy of comparing yourself to, Jesus.  All other comparisons are meaningless.  Let’s say there are 100 top photographers in the world.  I’m not sure who made the list, and how accurate it is, but for the sake of this discussion, lets say there is such a list.  What if you are number 10 on that list.  What difference does it make?  Maybe if you are seeking endorsements or trying to make money from your craft, it has an effect, but eternally, what does it matter?  Sadly it doesn’t matter!

Working hard and becoming good at anything is laudable, but it only sets us apart , in that,  we made an effort and succeeded at a goal.   It doesn’t increase our worth.  Our worth is determined by something far greater.  Jesus died for you, that is the only validation you will ever need.  Since He died for all of us, every single one of us, that makes us equally validated.  Get the point, no need for rankings.  Sure someone will win the World Series, the NCAA Tournament, the Super Bowl, Best Actor, Best Picture, but all of those are “Man Made”  goals, not “God Made Goals!”

God has only one goal, for you to accept Him and serve Him.  He gave His only Son so that you might be a member of His family.

Be blessed,

the pilgrim