God is creative.
That is, if you believe in God, you understand God is pretty good at making stuff. Plants and birds and rocks and things. Sunshine. Bumblebees. Duck-billed platypii. Cool breezes. Misty mornings. Trees and spider webs and lava and thunder. Color and light. Sound and silence. Us. God made it all (and a couple of other things). Very cool. Very creative.
To the extent that I am creative, I am in touch with the image of God in me. When I sing. When I paint. When I speak and dance and love. When I work with my hands and with my mind. When i dream. The creativity that springs from me is connected to God. It is a gift. It is unique to me and common to everyone. So, some like to work in the garden…creativity. Some like to program computers…creativity. Some like to design new things or redesign old things…creativity. Some like to doodle, to explore, to write, to build…creativity. Again, very cool.
But, creativity for creativity’s sake is not about God, it is about me or you or them. This kind of creativity twists the gift and makes it self-serving. Seeing to shock or manipulate, this kind of creativity is often hurtful. Taken to extremes we create new ways to desensitize, to dehumanize, to demoralize. This creativity isn’t about connecting with God, it is about our attempts to become a god. To bring glory to ourselves.
Here’s the rub. I feel pressure to present God “creatively”. To package God in a way that is attractive and appealing to the most folks. To wrap God in a clever tag line or a punchy graphic, so folks will pay attention. Maybe this isn’t entirely true. What I’m really trying to “sell” is what i want to say about God. The message I have to share with you and others about God. I want to include eth “wow-factor” in my presentation of the Gospel. I’m looking for the headline that entices someone into giving me a few minutes to do a little dance around this guy called Jesus. And in many ways, I understand a need to do this. That a creative God deserves some creativity from me. A creative God should be worshipped creatively.
Where’s the line?
God is creative. So my life, my messages, the Church should be creative.
The world craves creativity. So, I want to capture attention, build a buzz, attract all I can.
Perhaps the answer lies in my motivation? Maybe it’s about where I’m focusing the attention? Is it, “look how clever I am and how creative I can be?” or is it “look at the amazing wonder that is God and God’s work”?
Maybe it’s really a matter of what the creativity points others toward? An experience of The Creator or an experience of a creator.
Here’s to hoping my creativity is a reflection of God and that through it others might know God more fully. Here’s to hoping your creativity results in the same.
Life is better together,
Shawn
Big Rubber Band Ball 