Passionately Expressed for HIS Honor

Creative lives are productive lives. When we stop to think about this, we find there is something quite powerful in creativity - we bring into existence something which would otherwise not really be there. My grandsons are so creative, one is a gifted welder and the other can sketch, carve wood, and see things in things that others may miss. My son can 'MacGyver' anything from almost nothing - especially when his mom needs a suggestion on how something might come together. My daughter is exceptionally creative and has her own blog which is gaining more and more popularity all the time. What amazes me most is when she is given opportunities to bless others with her creativity. This is what life is supposed to be about - creative lives being productive lives - both in our own lives and then in reaching out to touch others through your creativity.

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (Galatians 6:1-5)

Creative living might actually us learning how to overlook an offense. You know how extremely difficult this can be at times. Forgiveness often requires "original thought" - the very definition of creativity. We have to learn to think differently about the offense and the offender. It is more than just "writing it off" - it is purposefully choosing to not think of the behavior as something we will keep an account of AND learning to think "outside the box" as it applies to the other person's behavior. Creativity is a form of productivity - the "original thought" begins to produce something within the relationship which becomes stronger and stronger each time we choose to overlook the offense. It keeps the relationship as the focus and doesn't let the trivial slights interlope. To pardon another and then to give up our claim to requital is tough work - it requires "original thought". The "norm" would be to just feel slighted and to hold onto the slight until it forms a little root of resentment within. The creative and productive thing to do is to renew, restore, and rebuild. All three are words requiring creativity and involving productive action.

Creative living implies that something would not be in existence if you did not take some action to ensure it was. It would not naturally evolve - it requires your intervention. Crushed and burdened people need creative people in their lives, for it is often your God-given creativity which actually helps to unpack the burden for another. In essence, you are bringing into existence what would not naturally evolve if that individual were to just deal with their burden themselves. Creative individuals work at a pace much different than most others. God put you into the lives of others because you might just be able to see the raw materials of their circumstances in a way they would never be able to by considering it on their own. They need your willingness to stop long enough to consider the possibilities and then your help in arranging all the pieces so the burden they carry is finally unloaded in such a way that something creative comes out of the burden.

We all need to begin to make a careful exploration of who we are and the work we have been given. It is a creative work and we have much "creative" energy to lend in this hurting world. Careful exploration requires more than a casual glance in the direction of others - and it also requires more than a casual glance in God's direction. We need to invest time and talent if we are to see creativity take hold in our lives. We experience the creative surges within, but don't share what we have the power to bring into existence with others. God never intended for us to just keep our creative energies all bottled up - he gave us those energies so we might position ourselves to share the creative work he has done within us. In so doing, we give hope to those who see only the "pieces" they have been given, but don't quite see how they might fit together to make a finished work of art. God often uses us to help with the "arranging of pieces" so the one who is unable to see their significance can begin to appreciate these pieces of their lives as tremendously valuable "ingredients".

Many of us just need to learn to work with what we have been given. We need to stop allowing the talents and abilities we have been given to lay dormant in our lives. Their purpose from the beginning was to be creatively expressed. They have a purpose far outside our own appreciation - but once we begin to use what we have been given to bless the lives of another, we begin to see the creative purpose of God in blessing us with those gifts and talents. Sink yourself into what God blessed you to do - jump in with both feet. Don't be timid in your creativity - for God gave you these talents not for your own use, but to be passionately expressed for his honor. Just sayin!