Submitted by Anne Wilson

Taking Thursdays as a day of rest/relaxation/reflection/etc., I get to enjoy doing whatever and still have Friday to play “catch-up.” Therefore, I usually take that day to literally unwind and get re-inspired… whether my inspiration comes from Eagle Creek Park, my couch, or the Indianapolis Museum of Art, it’s inspiration nonetheless.

This past week, I chose the IMA. Kyle and I went through the exhibits together, and the entire time I drooled over what people were capable of with their hands. Seriously, my creative spirit grew greens horns of envy. Interestingly enough, today I came across a speech by Elizabeth Gilbert that expresses oh-so-eloquently some of my very thoughts yesterday. All of us as–as children of God–hold the power of creativity. After all, we bear HIS image (Genesis 1:26). And because I believe in a God bigger than I could ever possibly understand, I also believe that God shows us glimpses of the Himself through creativity. Art, music, writing, sculpture, nature, colors, graphic design, film, whatever. I look around at the world God made and am thankful He gives us a peek sometimes.

Francis Schaeffer wrote, “No work of art is more important than the Christian’s own life, and every Christian is called upon to be an artist in this sense. He may have no gift of writing, no gift of composing or singing, but each man has the gift of creativity in terms of the way he lives his life. In this sense, the Christian’s life is to be an art work. The Christian’s life is to be a thing of truth and also a thing of beauty in the midst of a lost and despairing world.” How beautiful and true… and yet also how tragic when we all keep our inner-artist locked up inside of us instead of drawing people near to the God we know and love.

I pray and hope that all of us live lives that could one day be expressed as a work of ART. How can you be a work of art to the world around you today? Do you know people who live lives that could truly be expressed as works of Art?