“But…I’m Not Creative!”

‘But…I’m not creative!’

We’ve heard others say it. Perhaps, you’ve said it to yourself; especially if you’re the type of person who has little talent in the arts or little interest in it. It also might be that you simply prefer logically driven pursuits and think creativity better suits the ungrounded daydreamer. Or perhaps your job is so basic and dull you just coast through life. Nothing creative about mopping floors, waiting tables, or dumping trash. Right? You eat, work, sleep, repeat. That’s it. These certainly are outlooks we’ve groomed ourselves into. God’s design for humanity, however, was never so narrow.

You see, we love our ‘boxes’. We categorize everything from socks to personality types. Doing so is good and useful in many ways. However, our world is sinfully tainted because we rejected our Creator. Thus, even our categorizing can skew into false ideas. Sure, it made sense to us to segregate music, crafting, and the like from other activities as ‘creative’ pursuits, but if we’re fully honest, even we must know we’re fallible enough to get things wrong. God knew we needed a set standard outside of ourselves to help separate truth from opinion. He therefore provided us His Bible, and it reveals a surprising lot bout creativity.

Behind our creative/non-creative labels is the subtle belief that creativity is just the fun perk of a ‘lucky’ few. Not a common necessity. It’s great if you have it. If not, you’ll live. However, to accept this as fact not only debilitates your potential in Christ. It incites a false, rigid view of God. God created all things, and created things fundamentally bear characteristics of their maker. Who the creator is and what they’re like will influence everything they make, and in six days, God’s passionate and orderly nature is evident in His creation in Genesis. Thoughtful, logical, beautiful, dangerous, and untamed. And if that’s our God and He uniquely created mankind in His likeness, isn’t it sensible then to expect creativity is a natural characteristic in all mankind? It should. Because everybody uses it. Constantly.

According to Miriam-Webster, the verb ‘created’ means ‘to bring into existence’. That is, it’s to make something that didn’t exist before exist now. And do we not build? Figure out? Plan? Regardless of career or disposition, everyone does that every day. Even our words cause ripple effects we can’t fathom. Sometimes our decisions cause chaos. Sometimes we produce order. Nevertheless, no matter how trivial the matter, nobody leaves this life without adding something to it. In fact, nobody could even function without creativity. It’s our unique decision-making muscle that separates us from instinct-driven animals. Not a frivolous gift just for ‘some’.

Of course, this raises the bigger question. Why? Why did God implant creative drives in us? Just to entertain ourselves? No. Let’s not think so small! For from the beginning, God called mankind to cultivate His creation and worship Him. That’s not a command to simply sing praises. Worship is to reflect the object of your chiefest affection. And isn’t a love for something how every creative pursuit starts? Aren’t happy artists always hungering to fully capture what excites them so others may appreciate them too? God put worship in men’s hearts, but if not to Him, their praise will go to something else. Thus, the Lost never experience creativity’s grandest potential; to add harmony to a universe that already sings Christ’s name.

Jesus himself demonstrated perfect creativity. Every story He told, meal He cooked, and relationship He built; Christ revealed His Father in moving strokes that this world can’t nor will ever forget. Most wondrously, Christ did so in unbroken tandem with His Father! He invites and equipped His redeemed followers to do the same! For the creative who fellowship with their Creator is truly free. It’s not just a human trait. Creativity is our ability to magnify God’s holy nature. But how can anyone magnify Him rightly without knowing Him? Why would anyone want to magnify Him if they don’t love Him? If that’s you, seek Jesus. Accept His free gift of salvation and His Spirit. Let Him teach your heart how to love Him. Read His Word and let Him define Himself to you. For how much do we deny about Him and how much joy do we deprive ourselves when we say, ‘I’m not creative.’?

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