the animal’s food just out of reach. When the dog tried to get to the food he hurt himself because his leach wasn’t long enough. Every time he lunged toward the food he felt pain. By the fourth week of this cruel experiment the dog stayed right at the stake. He didn’t even try to reach for the food. During the fifth week they removed the leash and put him two feet away from the food. But by now the dog stayed next to the stake. The animal refused to go near the food. He has been so conditioned by the pain that kept him reaching his food that although he was free to eat he believed he could not eat. That dog almost starved to death during the last seven weeks of his testing. He wouldn’t move from the stake even though the food was accessible. They had to pick the dog up and carry him to the food to slowly recondition him. This experiment cruel as it was demonstrated that when the mind of an animal is condition it will live within the limits imposed upon it even after it is set free.
The same is true about our awareness and recognition of our innate creative abilities. We have been conditioned by this world of perfectionism that creativity is not really for us. And even if we think we could have a shot at it we often relegate it to the future not right now? However let me take our minds back to the beginning because the beginning of things is always instructive.
In the beginning God created. Genesis 1:1
In the beginning the act of creativity was the first and premier revealed attribute of our creator. Take note of the fifth word Created. It is an active word, a motion word, a “push and pull” word changing something or the present condition from a state of rest or disorder to the state of motion. Before the beginning, everything was chaotic, empty and disorderly. However in that state of chaotic emptiness and disorder the architect’s creative energy/ force came on display. Immediately order and beauty was restored and emerged out of chaos and emptiness. The result was a perfect world.
But the architect went further. He did not keep this heroic act to and for himself only. When he blessed humankind in the beginning, he delegated authority to the human spirit to replenish the earth (Gen 1:28). The word replenishes means “filling again by supplying what has been used up.” Therefore mankind was left with the responsibility of subsequent supplying and filling up what had been used. Mankind was also left with the right of subsequent creations. Fast forward to our current twenty-first century. It is abundantly clear that there is no area of human endeavor that has not been affected as a result of man’s creative abilities. Back track and we see an architect millions of years ago announcing. Let us make man or human kind in our own image and in our likeness. He was saying in effect let us download our same attributes, capabilities and powers of creative energy into man so that he is made in our likeness (sameness) and image (a representation of the external form of a person).Humankind was born and is wired to be creative. Creativity now is not a mandate to human kind. It is essentially who we are.
We are currently living in times of great unprecedented global revolution. We are living in a season globally where there is a change from one order or state of things to another. The year 2012 is a pivotal year where there is a lot of transition politically, economically and spiritually. If we are to survive and flourish in this era of change, we must think differently about our abilities and make the best use of them. No matter where you are or what you do if you are alive at this time, you are a part of this constantly changing global revolution. There are forces at work for which there are no precedents. It is incumbent for your thriving and surviving that you have an invisible reservoir of capital working for and with you to survive and thrive in these times. I call that edge and capital Creativity.
The times in which we live in are taking a toll on every human being. You are been affected whether you like it or not, whether you are aware of it or not with the changing globalization all around you. The sometimes chaotic and uncertainty of the world systems today are crying out loudly for another display and command of order, this time been spearheaded by human beings. It is almost like a dejavu. First it was the architect and creator who spoke and released his creative energies to create order in the chaotic disorderly and empty world then. Now it is our turn to do the same in the twenty- first century where we find ourselves. It is now over 2000 years since our first creator put into display his creative energies in fixing chaos. Now it is our turn to naturally imitate him.
The great revolutions in human history have often been brought about by new ideas. By new ways of seeing that have shattered old certainties. We are living in a world that is changing faster and calling for new ideas. Realizing our creative potential is partly a question of finding our core being. Education has and should help us find this but too often it does not. Too many people are displaced from their own true talents. They are out of their core gifting’s and out of their minds in that sense.
Every environment, event or outstanding thing in life was created by someone. Nothing happens by accident. It takes creativity to make things happen. There are many discoveries and inventions to be made in virtually every field of human endeavor. This includes spiritual, scientific, social, mental and physical discoveries. God released us into the earth a co-creators to refill the earth by engaging our creative energies . Just as a toddler imitates his or her parents naturally, so God expects us to be good imitators of him in creation.
The creator and architect of the universe wired into us and invested in us his super abundant limitless supply of creative juices. That is why he commissioned us to replenish the earth and contribute to the world. There is so much that has not entered the realm of the consciousness of human kind the he wants to release and download.
Finally we are instructed to remember Now our creator in the days of your youth
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— Ecclesiastes 12:1.
When we observe and become aware of how creativity flows directly from the essence, being and character of the architect of the universe we are compelled to mimic his creative character in our own very lives. Because we originate from him we cannot but be creative or possess the seed of creative potential ourselves. We are conditioned creative, we are wired creative and our DNA speaks to creative potential. Think about it you must mimic God’s creative character. Have you ever notice how easy and seamless a young two-year or one-and-a-half year-old toddler mimics every little thing, or action you do or say? For them it is naturally. They cannot help it. They do it naturally. No effort, no sweat just being themselves they imitate us and are reflective mirrors of us. So God wants us to mimic him in realizing and becoming aware about out creative potential. It is natural if we do so. It flows effortlessly from our realization and awareness that we come from God. For in him we live, we move, and we have our being. Acts 17:28 If the fifth word in the book says created then to my mind it counts for something.
Creativity is now because by virtue of our human nature us been human kind or human beings we are already loaded and wired with creative potential. If you look back throughout history, you can see how work evolved period by period. The first period of work was comprised of family occupation by default, meaning you were for the most part born to do your parent’s job. If your dad was a barber, you became a barber. A blacksmith, you became a blacksmith. A farmer, you became a farmer. A lawyer, you became a lawyer Very few were able to digress from this path due to limited opportunities. Then the industrial revolution hit. Workers were needed by companies to work in factories and workers usually stayed with that one company until they retired with a pension.
Now we live in a period of globalization and e-commerce. Work is rapidly being outsourced overseas because it’s becoming more cost effective for companies to do so and technology is slowly replacing human workers as well. I remember the first time that the aspect of technology replacing human workers really hit me was when I saw robots assisting humans at the airport in Japan for the first time. It was an eerie feeling knowing that a clerk could easily be replaced by a machine.
According to the IBM 2010 Global CEO Study, which surveyed 1,500 Chief Executive Officers from 60 countries and 33 industries worldwide, CEOs believe that, “more than rigor, management discipline, integrity or even vision - successfully navigating an increasing complex world will require creativity.” The best defense you have against these times of change is developing your creativity potential. . Creative people will always be in demand in these changing. I want