Be creative (4)

God told Moses: ‘Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron to give him honour and beauty. Tell all the skilled craftsmen to whom I have given wisdom to make special clothes for Aaron’ (v. 2-3 NCV). Note the word ‘craftsmen’. God gives us artistic ability, and when we use it we glorify Him. Clothes ‘for honour and beauty’ call for creativity – the spiritual isn’t separated from the secular here. The Bible says, ‘Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus’ (Colossians 3:17 NCV). How do we become creative?

1) By acknowledging that God made us to be creative.

2) By asking Him to reveal our unique areas of talent and creativity.

3) By valuing creative ideas. No matter what we currently do, or how well we do it, a creative idea will equip us to do it better.

Creativity is being able to see what everybody else has seen, and think what nobody else has thought, so that you can do what nobody else has done. Sometimes creative thinking lies along the lines of invention, where we break new ground. Other times it moves along the lines of innovation, which helps us to do old things in a new way. But either way, it’s looking at the world with fresh eyes so that new solutions appear.

In Genesis, we read: ‘By the seventh day God finished the work he had been doing’ (Genesis 2:2 NCV). Creativity involves work. It’s not always easy to be creative, which is one of the reasons we might try to avoid it or think we’re no good at it. But if we’re willing to work at being creative, God will use us to do great things for His kingdom and to bless others.

Joel 2:23-32; Acts 2:1-21