the two temptations of “tent making”
Recently I was startled to count up EIGHT websites in my Squarespace dashboard that I’ve built for clients over the last year and a half.
I say “startled” because designing websites was not something I ever set out to do. Frankly, it’s pretty low on my list of passions. Yet somehow, one at a time, I’ve helped eight amazing creatives thrive in their calling by enhancing how they present themselves to the world digitally. And I’ve got a few more in the queue…
Which does feel kinda good. Not to mention, it helps pay the bills.
In Christian circles, this scenario is often understood as “tent making” - coming from the Apostle Paul’s literal job of making tents to help support the ministry he was called to. (See Acts 18:1-4). And as my experience with websites has taught me, tent making can actually be a ministry in itself, so long as we are mindful of two common temptations.
Temptation #1: Prideful Resistance
Most of us would prefer to spend 100% of our time doing the work/art/ministry we feel most passionate about. It can feel scary or even embarrassing to consider taking on some sort of menial or unimpressive job that seems outside of our primary calling. But that’s putting our hope in man, not God.
What if God is providing that “menial” task so you are able to have your needs met while he is preparing you for the next level of how he wants to use you in other arenas?
Instead of pridefully resisting tent making, consider leaning into it with JOY, and looking for how God actually IS using beautiful parts of how he made you to do tasks you may not have chosen but that he can work through just the same. And keep in mind that your willingness to embrace living like a normal, everyday person with a normal, everyday job models humility, faith and grace to a watching world.
Temptation #2: Getting Too Comfortable
On the other hand, just because God provides some kind of tent making doesn’t mean he wants you to abandon using the fullness of the gifts he’s given you. But your enemy, Satan, does. And if you’re not mindful of this trap, he will nudge you toward becoming so busy and/or dependent on your “day job” that you forget the thrill of operating in the other gifts and spaces you were designed for.
To combat this, I always encourage my clients (and myself!) to be intentional about pursuing our passions alongside our tent making ventures, so we can stay perpetually in tune with our full selves, and be ready to use our gifts as soon as God opens doors.
For me, that means doing vocal warmups most days, saying “yes” to ministry opportunities, and carving out at least one day a week when I focus on how he’s asking me to use my own voice in this world (in addition to helping my clients use theirs). I am also trying to be more intentional about planning some soaking worship sessions with my husband, which is my absolute FAVORITE thing to do.
What about you? What creative gifts might be languishing as you navigate the daily tasks of life? Which ones do you need to bring back to the forefront?
Whichever temptation you’re more prone to, don’t stop using your voice.
Keep singing, writing, painting… Consider planning creative evenings with friends that give space to share your gifts. Keep dreaming, and encourage others to do the same.
And in the meantime, put your best into EVERY opportunity you’re given, regardless of how impressive - or unimpressive - it seems. Because God knows exactly where you need to be in order to live out the purpose he’s created you for.
Even if it looks a little different than you imagined.
For TRUTH…
- cr
