Cultivating a
Culture of Creativity
by Lieutenant Scott
Swires
Being a Classic Disney fan, I find it
an ideal setting for exploring Faith. I believe that God
speaks to us through the redeemed imagination, therefore a
place that holds a position for Imagination Engineers is
appealing to me as a believer. What are they doing and why do
they do it that way?
Once we understand what and why something is, then we
get to the fun part, which is asking things like “what if.”
As Paul explains, the three greatest
things are Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 13:13). I find
it interesting that the three greatest things cannot be
understood in the World’s favorite methods of defining:
qualitatively and quantitatively. This means Faith, Hope, and
Love are not measurable using scientific methods. Many would
argue they don’t exist because they cannot be observed
scientifically. For many, talking about something like Faith
is silly. Talking about Hope and Love are also silly and
childish. I like how C.S. Lewis shared that when he grew up
he, "put away childish things, including the fear of
childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”
The world's standard that something
does not hold a significant weight and value unless it is
measurable is dangerous to the system that it represents. Then
the only things that matter come from... matter. It's why
atheists are desperate to prove that emotions like enjoyment
and fulfillment have a physical source.
Faith, Hope, and Love are powerful because they are
evidence that something else is in the room with us.
(Suspiciously look left. Suspiciously look right.) A person
once shared that we come to God when we start to believe there
must be something more to our universe, but our deeper
relationship comes from realizing that He fills it. To
consider that something else is possible is the way in which
we engage the unseen realm of the spirit. The imagination is
the place where the material and the spiritual meet. So
without accepting our imagination we limit our relationship
with God and others.
Hebrews 11 says that without Faith it
is impossible to please God. We have to believe that He is and
He wants good things for us. This chapter is beautiful in
explaining that Faith in action is the definition of creation.
To create is to believe that something unseen will eventually
be seen. As we create we are doing Faith. Because Faith is the
substance of things hoped for and not seen. Faith is the act
of going into the unseen realm and grabbing something that is
there and then bringing into this realm. God created
everything seen from things unseen. God created by an act of
Faith in Himself. He is the example of how we are to create-
by believing in His ability to do. When we believe that He is
and that He wants amazing things for us the sky is not even a
limit (Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 145:19).
This is how I heard it- it’s like
tapping for maple syrup. You have a spile that you drive into
the tree, breaking the barrier that is holding back the syrup.
From that point on syrup can come out of the tree. Go up to
the tap with a container, and you can get some syrup. Now,
imagine a barrier between you and the unseen realm of the
spirit. Imagine the presence of God full and ready to burst on
the other side of the barrier. Your act of creating by Faith
is driving the spile into the barrier and releasing the
presence of God. Whenever anyone walks past your act of
creation there is then the opportunity to experience the
Presence of God. It will help to have your bucket ready, which
is you. You are a vessel created to catch God’s presence and a
prime place to do that is in a place that has cultivated a
habit of creativity.
I think Walt Disney became skilled at
this and developed it into a virtue. My wife and I have a
poster of Walt Disney superimposed over Cinderella’s Castle
and the construction site, a reality who would not live to
see. Below it is the quote, "It’s kind of fun to do the
impossible.” During the opening ceremony of Walt Disney World,
a man leaned to Roy and said that it was a shame that Walt
hadn’t lived to see it. Roy turned and said that if Walt
hadn’t seen it then they wouldn't be sitting there. Walt had
seen the park long before anyone else did. Walt breached the
barrier with his passion and belief in what could be and I
believe that breach allows people the opportunity to encounter
the presence of God. Whether it’s going to Disney, watching
Jiro Dreams of Sushi, or sitting next to your kids as they
play, I encourage you to find a place where creation is
happening and practice being aware of God’s presence.
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