I am not a big fan of cooking shows. I like Bobby Flay and Jamie Oliver and that is about it. One program I have been watching over the years that intrigues me, though, is Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. Guy drives around in his classic Camaro convertible all over the states, visiting some unique diners that offer homespun, creative cooking. As you watch this series, you see all kinds of inspired and original meals and specialities that have come about, over time, by experimentation, thinking outside the box and willingness to fail. It reminds me that we sometimes undervalue creativity and do not recognize its proper place in the problem solving and the human growth process. We often forget the first words of the Bible, “In the beginning God created…” (Genesis 1:1 NIV)
I thought the following list of “Mental Blocks to Creativity” was insightful…
The right answer
That's not logical
Follow the rules
Be practical
Avoid ambiguity
To err is wrong
Play is frivolous
That's not my area
Don't be foolish
I'm not creative
Roger von Oech, A Whack on the Side of the Head, p. 9.
Creativity is a catalyst in learning, developing better products and devices and serving others. We need creativity as we spread God’s word, His love and the Good News of Jesus Christ in different cultural contexts. The message does not change but the way we package it often needs to. An important part of the creative process is the ability to endure. I think of Barnabas with John Mark. I think of Barnabas with Paul. Barnabas was a very patient man who could endure because he understood the big picture and grasped that talents and gifts come in different packages. I also think, as we have been studying Joseph’s life, that he was a very creative person in the different settings in which he found himself.
I close with a quote from a Reformed Theologian that sums up creativity well, “Your creativity is bigger than you. It exists for God and for others…The rule that should guide your creativity, then, is this: Let everything you create be for God’s glory and the world’s good.” Remember, you are the handiwork of the most creative being that ever existed. Celebrate your creativity as you apply it to day-to-day living and to the bigger challenges of life. And, if you are bored, try an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. It is full of pleasant, creative surprises!
God bless as you celebrate a creative Thursday!
Your shepherd,
Pastor Ralph
