Kimberly and I have started reading a book on “Sabbath” each Sunday morning. It suddenly occurred to me today that we are called to follow not only God’s example of rest, but his example of spending 6 days in creativity, like him expressing who we are to the world (for our gifts are simply an outflow of the unique creation each of us is). If we could discover and have the courage to be our true selves before the world, offering it what we have rather than what we do not have, the world would be marvelous. If we could only value each one for who she truly is and what her being means to my life and the life of the world as a whole. If we could only live in a spirit of curiosity and receptivity for (and therefore blessing from) the uniqueness of each.
D.I.Y FACELIFT
Instead, we live out of who we are not, pushed into acting in ways for which we were not created, living a lie. We hide our shame with pretenses and cover-ups, unable to encourage others to be themselves (and delighting in it) because of the fear out of which we live. We find the uniqueness of others to be threatening, confusing, irritating, dividing, and so we push for them to conform to our ways of thinking and doing and being. It is unsafe for any of us to be himself, since being rejected for our essence is the ultimate disgrace. Sadly such shame disables and distorts God’s own creation as he designed each to be, with both our limitations and our abilities. May we all learn to welcome and relish the beauty of differences.
Janathan Grace Reflections 
How could I have missed such a simple principle you articulated here: if we are to follow God by resting one day, we are also called to live creatively creativity-as we ourselves were uniquely created and gifted-the other six days. I like this thought…it is very “freeing” to me. Thanks for sharing.
thanks for liking!
Also, I think you are friends with Steve Mittwede? He posted the following quote on his FB today, and I though about your post alongside it…
“I think we are living in the beginning of a creative revolution.
Here’s the thing about creativity/productivity talk that makes me a bit nervous: when we talk about those who are the most innovative or most creative or the most prolific, it adds a sense of pressure to those of us creating important work. We often make the mistake of creating to feel valued, rather than creating because we’re valued. We don’t create for God, we create with and in response to God.
The goal isn’t to be the pioneer in the creative revolution, but to rest in the fact that you are valued by God. From there, you will create meaningful work with your life. And who knows, maybe even be a pioneer in the creative revolution.”
(S. Mahlstadt)
Yes, very important emphasis on creativity (I am friends with Steve).
Super Like…
I love it! From Highschool I have always felt that the BEST was to be weird! I loved when people called me “strange” – Still do!! But I don’t see creativity as creating something per se. I see it as an ability and skill (you can learn to do it better) as looking at life, the world, myself, others, God in different ways, of stepping outside the ordinary. Sometimes I’m creative, sometimes not. I’m not very good at being really creative even when doing my “creative” things like art and poetry. I do kind of bland art and poetry, mediocre. But I love your association of our expressing God’s creativity. We each have some aspect of God’s creativity that he’s given us to manifest in the world! I never thought about associating it all with the creation story! yes! 6 days of creativity!! That’s a life-style I can embrace!!
Although, as Kimberly pointed out to me, lots of people work in jobs they hate, so the creativity (and personal meaning of life) must be “extracurricular.”