Are you a Creator?
In a world that often views creativity through a narrow lens—limited to artists and content creators—it’s essential to expand our understanding of what it means to be a creator. As children of God, we are called not only to reflect his image but to embody it in our work, no matter our profession.
Whether you’re a carpenter crafting beautiful cabinets, a caregiver providing comfort and support, a manager fostering collaboration in the workplace, a parent creating a safe and nurturing environment for your children and family, an accountant who skillfully designs spreadsheets that tell a story through numbers, or a plumber laying pipes that are covered by walls and doors, every act of creation holds significance.
How We Image The Creator
While not every occupation is inherently creative, every person contributes to shaping our present reality through their work. Embrace your role as a creator because everything we create glorifies the Creator, and images our Creator God.
One task before every Christian who desires to image the Creator in the here and now is to first discern what their work, paid or unpaid, creates. For some, such as architects and builders, that’s pretty easy to answer, but for others, like data analysts, managers, and caregivers, that may be more difficult to articulate. But we are all in the process of creating something, whether as tangible as a building or as intangible as a supportive workplace.
Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.
1 John 3:2
This Scripture emphasizes that our redeemed selves will reflect Christlikeness more fully than any person we’ve ever known. In fact, we will be truly conformed to the image of Christ, making even the most saintly person we know now appear to be only a rough approximation of true Christlikeness.
So how does embracing our creative call transform not only our work but also our understanding of our purpose in this life and the one to come? It invites us to imagine a New Creation where creativity flourishes beyond our wildest dreams.
Imagine the New Jerusalem
The book of Revelation describes the New Jerusalem cities as being composed of, among other things, streets, buildings and landscaping. A city so splendid that it serves as the dwelling place of God with his people. In the New Creation, this New Jerusalem is first a real, tangible place that transcends spiritual symbolism, as well as a physical location.
The New Jerusalem is also described as a city of tremendous size and must therefore hold unimaginable significance. The buildings within this city will be taller than any we have seen before. In comparison, The Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building, will be but a trifle in the New Jerusalem.
As you stretch your mind to include these structures that surpass the height of Burj Khalifa, it logically follows—though without specific mention in Scripture—that these buildings will include things like lighting, plumbing, and other infrastructure systems. Could it be that even the most mundane elements of life, things like plumbing, will exist in this heavenly city? Things that will need to be created.
Consider for a moment what heavenly plumbing might be like. Perhaps the faucets are gold-plated, or more likely, they are solid gold if you consider that the streets in New Jerusalem are said to be made of gold. But what about the pipes? What do you suppose they are made of? How are they created?
Simply, they are made of the best material available to fulfill their purpose. While I’m not exactly sure what those materials might be—carbon fiber, platinum, or solid lead—regardless of cost or current perceptions of scarcity, these pipes will be created of the highest quality possible.
An Artistry of Plumbing
More important than the materials they are made of, the pipes will be plumbed to perfection by plumbers who enjoy the satisfaction of a perfectly fitted pipe. Plumbers who see providing safe and clean water as God’s calling in their lives. These plumbers find fulfillment in their craft, fully engaged—heart, mind, and soul—in their work of cutting, threading, and installing beautiful piping.
I can imagine this in the New Creation because I have seen similar things in this life: organized supply lines and drain lines meticulously arranged by a plumber who went above and beyond what the work required. Rows of electrical conduit as perfect as organ pipes, turning with the grace of a flock of birds to make their way through a space that the public will never even see. Because such things exist in this world—they must certainly exist in the next one. And someone will be called to create it.
The Intersection of Faith and Creativity
It seems reasonable, then, to suggest that when we are more conformed to Christ, we will be even more creative. Scripture indicates that Christ was present and active during creation and will continue to be present and active in the New Creation. I find this image of people creating and excelling in creativity—surpassing their current creative endeavors in ways that are beyond description— far more satisfying and inviting than viewing heaven merely as an endless worship service.
Describing the level of creativity we will have in the New Creation can be frustrating, much like trying to define God as “that which no greater than can be imagined.” Let’s consider an example from everyday life. Imagine you’re a carpenter who frames residential and commercial projects during the day. At home, you use a variety of power tools to create cabinets for your family and friends. Since this cabinet work is mostly unpaid and comes without deadlines, it’s quite good, and getting better. You have mastered the art of matching grain patterns on cabinet doors and have honed the processes of sanding, staining, and varnishing to the point where the skill of the worker is all but invisible. While this showcases creativity, it also highlights the work of a skilled craftsman.
Work in the New Creation
What does that work, or creation, look like in the New Creation? It is a thousand times better, a million times better. Picture a Gothic cathedral, filled with cabinetry that could fill a 150-story building, repeated again and again. Each piece is adorned with details so refined that an observer could spend hours studying just one filigreed corner of a single door. Tasks that would take several lifetimes in this world can seemingly be completed in just an afternoon. All of this takes place under the approving gaze of the Master Carpenter/Creator to whom we all must give an account.
As we engage in our daily work, it’s essential to recognize the impact of what we create, as these efforts lay the groundwork for a future infused with even greater creativity and purpose. By understanding the value of our work, both paid and unpaid, we can embrace our roles as co-creators in the world, ultimately preparing ourselves for a more profound expression of creativity that mirrors our divine calling. Seen rightly, we are all rehearsing for a spell of creativity that will both resemble and exceed what we’re doing now by orders of magnitude. Let us strive to infuse our work with intention and awareness, paving the way for a richer tapestry of creation that reflects the heart of the Creator in all that we do.
