Imagination and creativity. We think artists, musicians, styles, stories, etc, and most people think "new". If you are creative you've found a new way to do what was once old and boring, you've imagined a better way. Maybe that is why children have such brilliant imaginations; they are always learning new things and new ways to do the things they've learned. Maybe we get a bit lame as we grow older...(but I'm only 20, so that for sure is not the direction of what I'm writing). We often associate another word with imagination and creativity - originality. I use all three of these terms very loosely, perhaps too often and too loosely. Who is truly original? What is truly orginal? After all, Solomon tells us, "There is nothing new under the sun." (Read on in Eccl. 1:9-11)
Well, there's somone I know, who I can say without a doubt, is truly original. He pulled money out of a fishes mouth, He healed a man who was about to arrest Him, as a woman was about to be stoned He drew in the sand and because of this, she lived, He once told a storm to shut up (and it listened), and of course, He was born from a virgin - His life began originally and ended originally. There are countless examples of the man Jesus Christ and His orignality, His imagination, and His creativity in scripture, and nearly always does His originality shine in the midst of "hairy" moments: suffering, persecution, danger, hatred, and in the face of death. So, I guess all of those in the world who are being praised for there originality ...must not be too original. Christ calls us to imitate His way.
It's something to think about. How do you really respond to your enemies? Think globally - What excuse to you give to justify war? The death penalty? Or less contraversial - If your hurt by somone, do you retaliate with force, or even more force? I wrestle with this daily, but I am also being transformed daily by that one original man, and I find that, once again, it's really all about love.
Shane Claiborne shares a story in his book The Irresistable Revolution about a kid he knows who's being bullied and wonders, "why?". He tells his young friend, "...that means you get to show him [the bully] how friends treat each other. He must not know what love and friendship feel like, so you get to teach him." The kid responds as many of us do, "Aww man, love is so hard." Many people don't know what true love is. So, for those of us who do know, or think we know, do you show them true love? Or do you throw a fake imitation? The story of true love is in the Gospels. It's very difficult truth. It's actually gotten many people killed, people who do nothing wrong are the ones who die. They die to show true love to the world.
Jesus Christ showed us perfectly how to love, and He was killed because of it. He was faultless, without sin. Even his presecutor couldn't find fault in Him as they stood before the crowds who were yelling "Crucify Him!" and Pilate said, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found no guilt deserving death..." He was without flaw, yet full of pure love.
This video gives us a glipse of how Jesus loves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEdT0VEHKI
Like the reflecting mirror we are called to imitate Christ. Christ was original, so therefore, what we do will not be, and should not be original. In fact, it can't be. It's an imitation. However, it should be exclusive. We should act, respond, live, and most of all love in such an imaginative, creative, and "original" way, that the world would look at us and wonder, "Where does such originality come from? What is this love? What a crazy way of life? How could somone..?" And we could respond, "I learned it all from Jesus, He's awesome huh?" (Matthew 5:14)
Have a good day, Barrabas - You're Loved.
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