maybe you are creative…
Roughly every month, I share the story of someone who creates and plays as a way of joining God in His creative nature. Sometimes it's an artist. Sometimes it's someone making something with their hands. Other times it's someone finding joy in a hobby or simply paying attention to the world around them.
Then I usually ask people on Instagram how they create and play.
Or I'll share one of my watercolors or a craft I'm working on, and almost without fail, someone responds with the same sentence:
"I wish I were creative." Or some version of that sentiment.
Usually I tell them they probably mean they aren't artistic. Those aren't the same thing. Because truthfully, I believe everyone is creative in some way. (I also happen to think natural talent is a bit overrated. Most people simply become good at the things they enjoy doing and practice over time.)
So last month I decided it was time to introduce a new definition of creativity. Technically, creativity means having the ability to create. But what if we expanded our understanding of what it means to create? What if creativity wasn't only about producing art or making something beautiful? What if it was more about the way we engage with the world?
The more I've thought about it, the more I think creativity is a kind of call and response.
First, we receive.
We notice something that moves us, or a problem that needs solving, or an idea we can't stop thinking about.
Then we respond.
Maybe we paint it. Maybe we build something. Maybe we ask another question. Maybe we plant a garden, bake bread, learn calligraphy, or simply stop long enough to wonder.
Creativity begins with paying attention.
It starts by receiving the world as a gift and responding to it with curiosity, imagination, and care. That's why I don't think creativity is only for artists.
The more I've thought about it, the more I've landed on this definition:
Creativity is our response to God's world through noticing, wondering, exploring, and making.
When we define creativity this way, suddenly so many more people get to participate! Maybe that's what creativity has always been: not creating from nothing (that belongs to God alone) but responding to what He has already made. Maybe creativity isn't reserved for a gifted few. Maybe it's simply part of what it means to be human.
A Simple Examen
As you end your day, spend a few quiet minutes with Jesus.
Jesus, what did You invite me to notice today?
What filled me with wonder?
Where did I explore or discover something new?
How did I respond to the gifts You placed in front of me?
What did I make, build, or contribute today?
Where did I sense Your delight as I created or played?
What am I most grateful for today?
Perhaps you've been more creative than you realized.