“Man unites himself with the world in the process of creation” (Erich Fromm).
WE’RE BORN INTO A PRE-MADE WORLD, BUT WITHIN THE WORLD AS IT WAS WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE’VE GOT THE ABILITY TO MAKE MANY NEW THINGS. Some might say we can’t make anything truly new; we can only do new things with the raw materials already here. But what wonderful reorderings of the raw materials we’re capable of! Our human creativity is a fascinating force.
Because it’s so powerful, our creative urge needs to be carefully managed. Among people seriously involved in creative work, we often hear it said (by artists, musicians, writers, etc.) that the only reason for their work is to allow the creators to “express themselves.” But in a world where we’re all connected, that should never be the case. Not everything a person might “express” needs to see the light of day. Before I create anything, I need to ask myself honestly: will this expression of myself make a positive contribution to those around me, or will it pollute them? Will it help or will it hurt?
Our ability to create carries a serious stewardship, and in our present culture there may be some doubt whether we’re handling that stewardship responsibly. “We live at a time when man believes himself fabulously capable of creation, but he does not know what to create” (José Ortega y Gasset). As with all of God’s gifts, creativity is meant to be used beneficially. We have it within us to give others hope, to bring refreshment, and to strengthen.
When we take a wise approach to the creative act, however, magnificent things can be accomplished. Our creativity can bring much-needed freshness to our own lives and those of others. Not only that, but we have it within our power to create things that will do good long after we’re gone from this world. Few of us are going to be remembered by succeeding generations, but the question of what we’re going to leave behind is still significant. We’re at our best when we’re using our creative powers to do lasting good. It doesn’t matter whether any historian gives us credit; it only matters that we’ve created something that will help others — now and perhaps even later!
“Creativity is not merely the innocent spontaneity of our youth and childhood; it must also be married to the passion of the adult human being, which is a passion to live beyond one’s death” (Rollo May).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
