Be Who You Were Meant To Be
When the second crusade was slaughtered by Saladin, the Moslems controlled the trade routes. As a result of this tragedy, the desperate Christians created a new type of ship: sail powered for long voyages and high enough in the water to survive ocean storms. This innovation dramatically changed European civilization.
God is the source of our creativity (Ex 35:30-35) – even though we can misuse this gift (Hab 2:18-20). Creativity is a result of many factors such as patience, hard work, and imagination. “Imagination is the mother of creativity” (Rubem Alves). Other factors include knowledge and a passion for the truth. For instance, “knowing a lot is a springboard to creativity” (Charlie Rose). Creativity also requires the boldness to try something new. “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail” (Edwin Land). Being creative involves a willingness to risk failure and ridicule and the ability to discern what is really important with the courage to overlook what doesn’t seem to be vital. Authors, for instance, must decide what to leave in and what to take out of their book. Not every good idea is best inserted.
Beyond all this, though, creativity is birthed of pain, sorrow, loss. The grace to be creative is free – but it can cost us dearly. Jesus paid the price for our grace (Heb 10:22). We will have to pay the price, in bearing our own cross daily (Lk 6:23), to experience greater grace. The birthing of something new means travail (Gal 4:19). We have to pay the price in blood, sweat, tears, and the loss of other things that could have been done with the time. Creativity is costly but worth it because “every person is a special kind of artist” (Eric Gill). If we would be all we can be, we must develop our creativity.
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.