Find Your Inner Creative

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

A Crafty Situation 

I remember watching my childhood babysitter's son, Bryan, whittle away at wood for hours. He always carried a knife and a piece of wood in his hand. I was fascinated by the rhythmic slicing and the meticulous nature of wood carving. 

I have shared with you before that I like to sculpt. Perhaps some of my fascination can be traced back to watching Bryan hone his craft. 

Creativity is something we all admire in some form or another. We admire musicians, actors, writers, and artists. Sometimes though, we forget we were made to be creative too. 

We need to remember that God designed the universes and all that is in them: from the largest star to the smallest micro-organism, then He made you and I in His image. No wonder we aspire to be creative. 

If you are anything like me, you often may not feel very creative. You may in fact think you are not creative at all. 

I have been known to say "I don't craft." While that may be true, that is not the only outlet of creativity I have. It is only one I admire because I am not good at it. 

Have you felt the same? Have you thought "I am not a creative person"? 

This is not true. If you find a new way to clean up stains on your carpet, you are being creative. If you write a poem, or short story, you are being creative. If you are good at creating seating arrangements for church banquets you are being creative. If you are balancing a budget for your family and trying to meet all the bills, save money and create moments of recreation for your loved ones, I guarantee there has been some creativity used there. 

Sometimes we discount our own creativity because we are too busy comparing it to others'. We should not do this. It discounts God's purpose in you and it puts you down as His kid. If you believe you are not something God says you are (remember: made in His image) then you are choosing to believe a lie. 

That has the enemy written all over it. Choose instead to remember this: You have something to give. Everyone does.  

I was reading Exodus 35 just a few minutes ago, and I saw something amazing I want to share with you. This passage is about creating the dwelling for God: the tent Solomon's temple would be based on hundreds of years later. 

"All of you who are skilled in crafts should come forward and make everything that the Lord has commanded: the dwelling, its tent and its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its posts, and its bases, the chest with its poles and its cover, the veil for a screen, the table with its poles and all its equipment, the bread of the presence, the lampstand for light with its equipment and its lamps, the oil for the light, the incense altar with its poles, the anointing oil and the sweet-smelling incense, the entrance screen for the dwelling’s entrance, the altar for entirely burned offerings with its copper grate, its poles, and all its equipment, the washbasin with its stand, the courtyard’s drapes, its posts, and its bases, and the screen for the courtyard gate, the dwelling’s tent pegs and the courtyard’s tent pegs, and their cords, the woven clothing for ministering in the sanctuary, and the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons for their service as priests. The whole Israelite community left Moses: everyone who was excited and eager to participate brought the Lord’s gift offerings to be used for building the meeting tent and all its furnishings and for the holy clothes. Both men and women came forward. Everyone who was eager to participate..." Exodus 35:10-22a (CEB) 

Find Your Inner Creative

Not everyone has the same gifts and talents. The people who made the tent were probably not the same ones who carved the beautiful wood work, or sewed the priest's garments. 

We are all uniquely designed and uniquely gifted. But every single one of us has something to offer God. Whether it is filling up the washbasin, or weaving fine clothe, the people were eager to do even the little things with a good heart and with excellence because they were doing it for God. 

There is creative juice flowing in you. You just have to find it. Once you do you only have to answer one question. Now what will you do with it? 

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