What Stops Creativity?

I recently read a blog that challenged me. The author, Todd Henry, shared a story about a South African friend who asked, "Do you know what the most valuable land in the world is?"

His listeners speculated that it would be the diamond mines in South Africa or the oil fields in the Middle East.

"No," the man replied, "it's the graveyard, because with all of those people are buried unfulfilled dreams, unwritten novels, masterpieces not created, businesses not started, relationships not reconciled. THAT is the most valuable land in the world."

To read the entire blog, entitled Why I Hope to Die Empty, click here.

What keeps us from going after our dreams? From pursuing the creative genius that I believe is put in each of us from the Master Designer?

The Bible says that we are his masterpieces. There is a piece of the master inside each of us. We are valuable. Unique. Wanted. Worth a high price. (see Ephesians 2:10)

In 1 Corinthians 12 there are lists of various gifts that God gives. The gift of teaching. Wisdom. Faith. Prophesy. Healing. Helping others.

It struck me the other day - creativity is not listed.

Why is that?

Could it be that we are each creative? That within us all is the essence of the Creator? He is found in the framework of our DNA. We cannot help but be creative.

We are a reflection of the Divine.

So what do we fear? What holds us back?

Is it failure? Perhaps. But sometimes I think it is something much deeper.

In the movie, Akeelah and the Bee, Akeelah is challenged by her mentor, that it is not failure that she fears as she faces a tough challenge, but the glory that is inside her. Her teacher has her ponder this statement:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?

The film does not contain the rest of the quote from Marianne Williamson (Nelson Mandela is often given credit for the quote, because he used it in a speech), which is:

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Wow!! Go back and read that again.

You are brilliant. Gorgeous. Talented. Fabulous. We our born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

I love that. Maybe we should all write that on a sticky note and put it on the bathroom mirror. On the fridge. On the steering wheel. On the computer monitor.

Whenever and wherever we are tempted to play it small and shrink and be less than the creative wonder God has fashioned us to be.

Today. Go out and shine!