day no. 16,674: what craftsmen and centurions have in common

"Every wise craftsman who seeks to exercise true dominion in the world knows two things: first, he has creative authority to arrange—he is the craftsman. And two, he must respect the nature of the material he is using. The craftsman does not just exercise authority; he also submits to the nature of his material." — Douglas Wilson, Church Music and Other Kinds

A craftsman, like a centurion, is found faithful when he is in authority by being under authority. Creative genius is a creature. An artisan cannot create without acknowledging the created nature of the materials and more importantly, the created nature of the mind and fingers performing the work. Derivative minds working with derivative materials cannot be authoritative in their artistry without first submitting to the Author of all things.