Good morning…
Sitting social distanced beneath our back porch, she pulled out her phone and texted me photos of a fun activity she had done with her grandchildren, tracing their outstretched arms, painting and cutting out the paper arms, and sending them to their great grandmother with a personal love poem. She gave me permission to share this creative process with you.
What contagious joy there is in creativity. Yet, how many of our minds begin to spiral down beneath the weight of comparison? Kinda like “This is such a great idea, but I never would have thought of it and, now that I see the great opportunity, I still won’t do anything this wonderful for my loved ones.” Maybe, “This woman is loved by her family so much more than I am.” Possibly, “I have not given or received ‘one creative hug’ in a very, very long time.” In the face of such captivating creativity, comparing ourselves poorly can be our knee jerk reaction.
“Let me sum up what I’ve learned about creativity from the world of Wholehearted living and loving,” writes author Brene Brown.
- “I’m not creative” doesn’t work. There’s no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There are only people who use their creativity and people who don’t. Unused creativity doesn’t just disappear. It lives within us until it’s repressed, neglected to death, or suffocated by resentment and fear.
- The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.
- If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild an engine, sculpt, dance, act, sing – it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re creating, we’re cultivating meaning.
“Letting go of comparison is not a to-do list item. For most of us, it’s something that requires constant awareness. It’s so easy to take our eyes off our path to check out what others are doing and if they’re ahead or behind. Creativity, which is the expression of our originality, helps us stay mindful that what we bring to the world is completely original and cannot be compared. And, without comparison, concepts like ahead or behind or best or worst lose their meaning” (The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown, Brene Brown, 97).
Letting go of comparison is a challenge for all of us, something requiring our constant awareness. We can completely admire and enjoy this “one creative hug,” allowing it to connect us to the indwelling Spirit of God. “LORD, how mighty You motivate me to express love to my essential people?” Let’s prayerfully ponder, wait with this pregnant question, and listen for God’s personalized reply.
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way (Colossians 3:15-17, MSG).
When it comes to expressing the healing love of God, in what ways might you creatively cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild, sculpt, dance, act, or sing? Which words on this list of fourteen verbs grab your attention? Walking in step with the Spirit, why not hug those words in your heart, follow where they lead, and trust that your only unique contribution to this world will be birthed through the endlessly creative love of our living Lord.
…Sue…
