Woundable

I think James had a good grasp on what being a creative was about. He was all about faith being active. His practical Christianity was rooted in the fact that a Christianity stuck in your head was worthless. Theories and concepts, dogmas and doctrines only become meaningful when they become played out in the marketplace of life. There is no risk in an idea until you open your mouth or take a step.

If you think about it, creativity is another facet of faith. Creative people are constantly making themselves vulnerable, placing their vision on canvas, paper, video or some other medium for the world to accept or reject, embrace or attack. When you really scrutinize what it means to have faith, it’s also about making yourself vulnerable. Have you ever wondered why God asked Moses to remove his sandals? He was asking Moses to place himself at His mercy, to have complete faith in His motive. That translates beautifully in the life of a creative.

Vulnerable’s root word comes from the Latin, vulnerā, it means to wound. Vulnerable literally means “woundable.” When I am staring at a blank white page or canvas I have this initial fear that what I am about to attempt will be a failure, but if I am not willing to convey what’s inside, then I already fail.

I know I keep jumping back and forth from faith to creativity, but I can’t separate them, to me they are the same. God has placed this gift within us, earthen vessels, to glorify Himself in us. Through our lips in speech or song, our hands on canvas or sculpture, our body and feet in dance, every member is designed to create praise.

Think about what Jesus said about prayer. He said not to make vain repetition like the heathen, right? Well, why not? I think that’s a valid question, don’t you? Here’s my opinion: He’s looking for His reflection as the Creator in you. Reciting a list of memorized words can be beautiful, no doubt, but they’re not your words. Be creative in your approach to Him.

Be willing to be wounded by people who don’t understand you or your vision. In the end nobody will know what you thought or felt unless you expressed it. Even God, the Creator, manifested, or made Himself visible, to the world as the man, Jesus Christ, the express image of God and even He was wounded.

"If I have this one life to give
Only remembered by what I did
I hope that they say they could see
The reflection of God shining through me"

-Armando

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