If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m pretty passionate about the truth that we are all called to create. It is one of the ways we as humans can reflect the God who made us in His image. He was the very first Creative, who designed sunsets and tropical fish and stunning galaxies and the intricacies of human body! Does it amaze you, like it does me, that the great Creator of the universe would gift each of us with a measure of that same creativity?
I could never paint with all the colors of His creation, or design a picture so breathtaking as this beautiful universe, but I can reflect Him in every lettering piece or abstract design I make. I can echo His creativity in my words, both spoken and written, when I form messages of encouragement or exhortation. I can reflect it when I create a comfortable space in our home, set up a room for overnight visitors, put together a delicious meal for my family, or plan new ways to steward my physical and financial resources.
“We were created by an infinitely creative God to reflect His love and character
to the world. One way we do that is by continuing his creative work.”
– Jordan Raynor
If you are intrigued by this idea of being divinely called to create, consider picking up one of my favorite books on the topic, Called to Create by Jordan Raynor. It’s written from a worldview firmly rooted in the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. And it’s a book that I think most Christians would find both encouraging and inspiring, as it speaks of the ‘First Entrepreneur’ (aka, the great Creator Himself) and invites us to follow His example in our everyday lives.
A Calling & An Invitation
Everyone is called to create for the purpose of glorifying God, loving others, and making disciples. We cannot separate our creativity from those things! But in order to do those things, we must find the place where our unique skills and abilities intersect with the need of others. This applies to everyone, no matter what our roles or occupations may be—from the overtly artistic, to ranchers and bus drivers, teachers and supervisors, programmers, accountants, and athletes. No one is exempt from this divine calling!
The understanding of creativity is developed throughout the book by focusing on four key elements:
- Calling: considering God as the First Entrepreneur, the theology of work, and embracing our call to create.
- Creating: understanding how the fact of our “Caller” changes the why, what, and how of our creating.
- Challenges: balancing hard work and trust, handling disappointment and failure, and renewing our minds.
- Charge: fulfilling the Great Commission through our unique calling, stewarding profit wisely, and creating for eternity’s sake.
The author himself has plenty of personal experience to draw from; but he also leans on the lives and expertise of people such as the founders of Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out Burger, writers such as CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, and creators such as JS Bach. It always helps to see how these ideas play out in real-life situations, and how the principles can be adapted to different vocations and avocations, so his examples are both helpful and interesting in their own right.
You may think this sounds intriguing, but perhaps too academic or too experiential. But I found the book to be biblically sound, richly developed, engaging, and full of practical application to the ‘average’ person in any number of roles or seasons of life. I highly recommend it, especially if you want to dive deeper into the purpose of vocation, your motivations for work, or how to create with eternity always in view.
Pick up your own copy of Called to Create here.
Do you believe that you’ve been called to create? How do you fulfill that calling in whatever it is you do?
PS. Do you want more recommendations like this? Let me know in the comments!