If you’ve never been to TED.com, it is something I highly recommend everyone doing often. The TED talks that are available there are really amazing.
While there I found a talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. I haven’t read her book (or yet seen the movie), but I love this talk. It’s only about 20 minutes (so, you can watch it while you eat lunch).
One thing that always fills me with joy is seeing timeless biblical truth being discovered by living life naturally instead of just reading it in the bible. It demonstrates better than anything the relevance of biblical truth.
Anyway, what Gilbert talks about here is the role that the divine plays in human creative genius. The biggest take away for me was that long ago, people knew that creativity did not come from people–it came from the divine. During the Renaissance, however, people began to see themselves as the center of the universe and slowly began referring to people as geniuses. Before this, people were simply said to “have” a genius (a deity that inspires – like a muse).
If we could only get back to the perspective that creativity and inspiration comes from God, what an incredible difference it would make. We would begin to fully understand that we are part of something amazing, but that it doesn’t all rest on our shoulders. We show up for work, but so does God. I continue to think through this concept, and am constantly seeing the radical change that could happen if I always kept this idea at the forefront.
(Quick warning about the video – there is a bit of language in it… all of which could be see on primetime network television, but given that this is a church website I figured I would warn.)
August 16th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Wow, that was great. Oddly enough, I needed to hear this today. Half the battle, in anything, is just showing up, right? Thanks for sharing.
August 18th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Sadly, I am appalled that this 18 min. presentation was offered as a substitute for a Christian service. I fail to see humor in “Allah, Allah. Ole,” etc. or identifying her inspirational source as an “unidentifiable genie” or such. How The Holy Spirit, God, or Jesus Christ enters into this Pantheistic sort of dribble I cannot tell, and therefore fail to see it as an “inspired” contribution to the Christian menu of North Point Church. Dr. Robert Sampl, D.C.E.
August 19th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Thanks for your comments.
Dr. Sampl. My post was not intended to substitute itself for a Christian message. The reason I posted it here was my feeling that the basic message she discussed is true. (that message being that creativity is given from a higher power, it is not created from within us but from outside of us) She sees it as something she learned from “life.” It was revealed through ancient thought and mythic literature. I too share her belief in creativity coming from a higher power. We however recognize that power to be the God of the Bible. I hope, one day, she (and everyone) will also come to that same realization.
I find it very beautiful that she arrived at this conclusion through observing life. We, as Christians, don’t just believe stuff because a book says it or our pastor told us; we believe TRUTH. It is out there, and verifiable. And she found it just by living. It speaks to the validity of the Bible. And to me I find that beautiful.
I found myself free as a listener to replace the mythic literature and references to “gods” with the true words of Holy Spirit and God.
And in addition, I think her point is well made and refreshing. A good reminder that true inspiration, talent, and creativity are God given.
August 25th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
I too, felt that the overall message in Ms. Gilbert’s video was very inspiring, but I agree with Mike in that…….. Talent of any kind is a God-Given Talent and is intended to be used for His Glory. As an up-and-coming writer, I have come to the realization over the years that my talent as an artist, musician, and now thoughts on paper are not my own. When I was younger, less versed in my now steadfast belief in the “entire” Bible…. (word for word), I may have been haunted by some anguish from time to time due to my relentless eclectic mind racing too fast for my “life experiences”. As a more mature woman, having lived life, read, studied and ventured outside the box that encapsulates most men/women, I have blossomed and grasped the divinity issue from within.
When I have the “out of body” experience that the “African Dancers” have, or the story teller who feels like someone or something has taken center stage within his being during a mass audience… I immediately look up, thank God and smile in admiration and anticipation as to what my message will be. I have not read Ms. Gilberts book, but I feel from her audio words that she is on the brink of having a close encounter with the Spirit of God, who will bring her to the TRUTH. It is written that we are blind until we see….
I am grateful that Ms. Gilbert is an inspiration to her audience or followers, and I get the feeling she truly wants to touch them in a way they have never felt before. However, by stating that it is through a recognition or new found relationship with her “genius” or whatever she feels her personal muse to be, is far from what the Bible teaches.
If anything in this world of corruption, despair, and hate brings someone closer to a spiritual encounter….with God (The Creator of the Universe, and everything we know to be true and just), I am all for it. But, let us not lose touch with the reality that the dark side of this world would want nothing more than our words to be twisted, thoughts to be misconstrued and our purpose to be for the wrong energy field… We need to say what we mean, and not beat around the bush when it comes to giving God Glory and no matter what the juandra is or medium, never slight His existence to protect any other “religion”, or thought process.
I hope I did not offend anyone… this is my thoughts out-loud and nothing more.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:23 am
Thanks for sharing the video! Loved it! Ive just shared it with a couple of friends and colleagues. Long and short is that she (like you said) acknowledges a link between spirituality and creativity.
Interesting to hear that even the “secular” world acknowledges the role of the supernatural and/or spirituality, specifically in the area of artistic and creative expression.
I think God expects us to acknowledge him and tap into him concerning these creative gifts, rather than “genius” (in the context to which she talked of). Our genius based on the contemporary meaning of the word, is a gift from God.
The gift is from God and our gift to him is when we glorify him with the gift.