1 John 15-17 & work

[GREENLILY]

I was just reading in the scriptures about lust of the eyes and flesh and worldliness. I am now thinking what I do is sin. I create artwork to place on various products at an online store. I try to make beautiful designs and the product range is vast. This seems to go againt this verse, no? Tempting people to buy pretty items? 

 

To clarify: I create artwork that gets uploaded onto various products for sale on a public marketplace. For instance they sell magnets, mugs, tote bags, dish towels, etc and each one has a designer. I'm one of them. (POD)

My artwork is not pornographic or immoral. It's all based on true and lovely things.

As far as value of the products, I suppose it's subjective. People are paying for the print on demand ( POD ) and more for the custom designs and customization options.

My concern is that it's common for people to shop and desire possessions and covet them. I am concerned about causing others to stumble or sin because I'm making the items for sale beautiful. Like eve and the tempting fruit, I fear causing others to sin or being a part of it. I hope that makes sense.

Edited December 1, 2020 by GREENLILY
Clarification & correction of statements

[Debp]

3 hours ago, GREENLILY said:

I was just reading in the scriptures about lust of the eyes and flesh and worldliness. I am now thinking what I do is sin. I create artwork to place on various products at an online store. I try to make beautiful designs and the product range is vast. This seems to go againt this verse, no? Tempting people to buy pretty items? 

I think when a person creates beautiful art that they are taking after their Creator who has made beautiful things and beautiful nature.  As long as your art is not carnal, I don't think it's wrong to decorate something with it.   If you are able to use your God-given talent to support yourself, that is a blessing.

[Who me]

10 hours ago, GREENLILY said:

about lust of the eyes and flesh and worldliness

Well are your images pornographic? Do they incite people to disregard God and to waste there money on unnecessary gimmicks?

If your answers are all yes then you are right.

If all you are doing is show the products then you are not sinning.

[GandalfTheWise]

12 hours ago, GREENLILY said:

I was just reading in the scriptures about lust of the eyes and flesh and worldliness. I am now thinking what I do is sin. I create artwork to place on various products at an online store. I try to make beautiful designs and the product range is vast. This seems to go againt this verse, no? Tempting people to buy pretty items? 

Interesting question.   Here are a few thoughts.

Is the artwork honest or not?  If it is supplying helpful information, then it is a service.  Does it increase someone's knowledge about the product by making it easier to understand and view?  If so, that's a service.  Does it make it easier for someone to navigate the site and find what they need?  If so, that's a service.  On the other hand, if it is misrepresenting the product, that's problematic.

I guess it depends to some degree if the products provide some type of real value for the money for the people buying them.  Value is to some degree subjective to each person.  If you have some moral objection to the products themselves, then that might be reason to look for a different job.

If most of us look closely at our jobs, we can find some moral objection to it.  Anyone working at a large corporation is helping to enable its policies and its owners to make a profit.  Unless we are working for a company or organization with policies, management, products, etc. that we completely agree with, to some degree we are compromising.  In one sense, anyone who has ever worked at a restaurant has potentially contributed to the sin of gluttony.  Almost every job any of us has had can potentially lead to problems in some way or violate our morals in some way.  It's just a question of whether it rises to the level of having to take a personal stand or not.

As a deeper question, is this perhaps God's way of giving a hint to be looking for a different job in which your talents and passions might be better applied?  Sometimes it is through dissatisfaction or issues where we are at that God gets our attention to make changes.