The Creative Grace

There are a lot of reasons to be afraid these days. We know this because our news feeds don't offer us a variety of stories to consume. The menu of the day seems to be a buffet of war, destruction, violence, and despair.

I've been reflecting over the last few days on something Rob Bell once said. I'll paraphrase, but essentially, when we're talking about violence and destruction, we're dealing with a profound lack of creativity. Crafting, building, and designing are all examples of invention. When we become angry, and our intentions around attacking or destroying harden and solidify, we are headed in the opposite direction of creation. Violence and destruction take up a lot of space in our world, and they have certainly made their mark on world history. If I'm not careful, there are times when I find myself being oddly accepting of their results.

"Let them have it."

"He had it coming."

"This is how the world works."

These thoughts have made their way into my heart at some point. They are insidious because they’re sometimes disguised in "Common sense."

I am getting better at containing these thoughts because I prefer to avoid easy, convenient ideas that don't produce creative results. It's not that I don't believe in common sense; it's that, if left unexamined, common sense can reinforce and prop up common problems. We need creative solutions, not ongoing surrender to the inevitable.

Instead, I'm trying my best to confront these bad ideas with good questions.

"Can I try something different?"

"Can I blaze a new trail?"

"Can I create a new experience?"

Living in a relatively peaceful country like Canada affords me the luxury of asking these questions. Bombs are not landing on my home. My children are safe and have not been kidnapped. Those living in either of those situations don't have an immediate opportunity to philosophize about the nature of human progress. I owe it to those who don't have that same opportunity to do the work. My energy needs to be invested in more than just thinking about creation; I need to do it. This energy looks like sharing, listening, giving, and making space for others. My family and work life all improve when I move in that direction.

If destruction reflects a profound lack of creativity, hospitality is the essence of creativity and the only path proven to produce results that everyone can live with. Even though it requires work, creation always adds value. The creative grace of God that I believe in lays the foundations of a better world - a world where patience, kindness, humility, generosity, and service are the norm.

Can you imagine what we could create in such a world? Friend, thank you for reading. Don't get tired of doing good.