Under the thin veneer of supposed ‘ordinary’ is a power of creativity and life. There are no ordinary people.
If you saw her in the mall you wouldn’t take a second look. This was probably intentional on her part.
Average height, weight, with modest clothes she would slip into the supermarket like a ghost, grab a few items then quietly take a bus home to her small two bedroom unit.
After packing away the milk and bread this ‘ordinary’ woman would rest herself into an old worn chair and embrace her world of creativity. She would begin to knit. Booties, cardigans, scarves, beanies. All beautifully handcrafted with stitches of love.
At her local church, there was a small opportunity shop to which she took the garments. They sold them on and gave her a little bit of money in order for her to buy some more wool.
This supposed ‘ordinary’ woman was tapping into a river of creativity and life. A gift that was given to her by God.
Over the years I have met literally thousands of people that have an ordinary appearance to themselves yet underneath they have a creativity that brings something of the creative nature of God into the world they live.
As C.S. Lewis writes
There are no ordinary people.
You have never talked to a mere mortal. C.S. Lewis
Do you consider yourself as ordinary?
As common, run of the mill, a mere mortal?
If you do then you are doing a disservice to the creative nature of God.
Remember we were created in their image. We are image bearers of a creative dynamic union of three. Just go back and look at the first two chapters of Genesis and revel in the creative power unleashed. They created us, in their image, and then we went on to create. The first thing we were given to create was names.
We were asked to create names for all the animals. How Adam came up with the name Rhinocerous I will never know but what a gift from God to give us naming rights to their creation.
One of the signs of Mental wellness is
healthy expressed creativity.
In fact, if I talk with someone who is struggling with Mental Health issues I would be searching for expressions of creativity, past or present. Then I would encourage this gift. Knitting, cooking, gardening, writing, or any one of thousands of other outlets.
I have a gardening business called Gumboot Gardening. My little tagline is ‘Creating places of beauty, rest and provision’. When I clean up a messy overgrown property, plant a small fruit tree or sow a packet of seed I am changing the world. I am creating and bringing delight to my creator God.
I wonder if they sometimes sit around with a cup of coffee and wonder ‘Wow did you see what Barry created today? So proud of our son’.
Are you being encouraged in your creativity?
Do you encourage others?
Mental health grows and thrives when
we nurture our creative gift.
Here is what I would like you to do.
Leave a comment below, or anonymously, listing all the ways that you are creative. Even in this very act of writing something you are being creative.
Please remember that there are no ordinary people and that includes you.
Quotes to consider
- There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
- Creativity takes courage. Henri Matisse
- The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. Sylvia Plath
- Everything beautiful has a mark of eternity. Simone Weil
Questions to answer
- How did Jesus demonstrate creativity in his 3 years of earthly ministry?
- What do you think would happen if you were to encourage someone’s creativity?
- What suffocates creativity?
Barry Pearman
Image cc: José Martín
6 thoughts on “There are No ‘Ordinary People’. Creativity needs an Outlet.”
What a great post! Creativity for me is playing, composing and recording music, making eclectic things – guitar straps, electronic gadgets, woodworking, (I just built an ergonomic kneeling chair) – writing and presenting sermons. Not to mention the creative inspiration of having coffee with good mates.
Thanks Tim, ergonomic kneeling chair? such a modern man of prayer
Love this Barry. I remember doing a Bible study once once this very topic, how creativity and the arts are from aGod’s own nature.
Some are certainly more endowed with creativity than others. I am one who enjoys and is blessed by , the creativity of others.
Thanks Miriam, and have you noticed the link between mental health and creativity?
Huge link between the two. I saved this article to three facebook accounts I admin as well as our tweet account and my blog plus my linked-in. I have to add it to our website, forgot that one.
I worked residential here in the states, my husband was director of counseling for http://www.hismansion.com ministries. I am an artist and encouraged talent I saw and drew it out of others who were fearful. As created beings we all are creative. Many don’t have support or access to tools needed.
Many with mental health issues are tremendous artists. In all forms. One of our residents had hocked his saxophone for drug money so while in rehab we rented him one. He felt so guilty but we encouraged him. Others who could not journal my husband encouraged drawing out their issues. In therapy with the women we read fairy tails and they had to pick one that most closely related to their life and rewrite it from their point of view and story.
Another one my husband still uses now in private practice is the body image. A person stand against the wall which is covered in a long sheet of paper. They are full body outlined and then have to face themselves and basically write down everything spoken over them, to them or what they feel about themselves. Incredibly insightful, effective, creative and healing. We have done hundreds.
At the ministry I ran craft nights using donated supplies and “made” everyone join in. Creativity is funny, some mocked it and did silly art, some tried real hard, some discovered how much they liked it, others helped those who seemed insecure. These were adults 18 -34 drug abusers, trauma survivors, ex-cons, eating disorders…etc…it was a blast! They were so proud and we hung their work in the dinning hall. We had “game show” nights, talent nights, skits, musical evenings, in this safe environment many joined in.
Thanks for this article, it is close to my heart and passion for full recovery!
Hi Gretchen, thanks for your kind words and for all the shares! Great examples you shared. Wonderful! thanks – Barry