Seeing What We Want to See

The video below is a bit long, but it illustrates a very meaningful point: we tend to see only what we want to see. Belgian painter Luc Tuymans is apparently very, very famous in the art world. He agreed to help with an experiment.

He painted on a wall on a busy pedestrian street in his hometown to see how many people would notice that they were walking past really good art. Interestingly, an art person (in the video) suggests that (hopefully) 90% of the people passing by would stop and see the amazing art. The result? 96% completely ignored it.

To be fair, one person did explain that context has a lot to do with art appreciation. I find it funny (not being an art person) that these artsy-fartsy folks, immersed in their own little world, think that the rest of the world revolves around art.

You can see that this post is in the Christianity category…because I’d like to make a point. A lot of people (not being church people) think it’s funny that church people, immersed in their own little world, think that the rest of the world revolves around church.

We see what we want to see.

Most people, even non-artsy people like me, can appreciate good art in the right context. Being a web designer, I have to say that I might find artistic beauty in more places than average…but I’m sort of immersed (or slightly dipped, depending on your perspective of my work) in the art world myself.

Most people, even non-religious types, can appreciate the good things that God has to offer…in the right context. The problem, like the problem in the art world, is twofold:

1. Most unchurched people don’t spent a lot of time thinking about God, and
2. Most church people assume the opposite.

Like the art-lovers in the video, church people are often willfully blind to the reality around them. How can we wake up the body of Christ and let them see that it is our job to help provide the context in which they’ll see what we see?

Your comments are appreciated.

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