PRIDE – A BARRIER TO CREATIVITY

If we are to be creative, we must have a proper sense of how we fit into God’s creation, and the role we play within it.

Pride results, when we don’t have a proper sense of our place in God’s creation. It is a ‘false image’ of ourselves, in relation to God and other parts of His creation, especially other people.

Two Forms of Pride

a) Thinking too much of yourself – “the inordinate love of one’s own excellency (Oxford dictionary of the Christian Church)
b) Thinking too little of yourself – undervaluing your gifts and who you are. If every thing we have is of God, then we have no right not to share it. That would be rebellion against God i.e. Pride.
Most of us swing between the two.

Root of Pride

All of us need acceptance, love. If we don’t get it, we feel threatened, insecure. So we have to resort to other means to gain it. Therefore we put on an act, and make ourselves out to be more than we are. Or we adopt a false humility. People notice us. (But do they love us any more?)
When all this is going on, creativity is bound to be hampered. We can’t play to the full, our proper role as fellow creators, with God.

Consequences of Pride

See Parable of the Prodigal Son- Luke 15:11-32
Result is the impairment of a creative, productive unit, i.e. fathers’ household and farm. Inspiration for the Church as a creative unit. Lack of effective ministry, spiritual starvation, body not built up. Each must learn proper place to see himself as Father sees him, and realise that he is forgiven.

What to do about it

Discover who you really are, and who you are in relation to God.
Let God’s image of you transform you.
Know yourself, strengths and weaknesses. Be honest. Don’t overvalue your abilities but don’t undervalue them.
Realize God accepts you as you are; no fear of rejection. No need to put on an act.
Learn to love yourself, as the sort of person you are, in God’s sight. (There is a proper self-love, as opposed to selfishness or pride. If you cannot love yourself for what God has made, and is making you into, then you cannot begin to love others.)

Contrast yourself, and God’s image of yourself
-Your Body -Body of Christ
-Your Life -God’s Life
- Your Work -God’s Work
-Your Mind -Mind of Christ
-Your Power -Power of the Spirit
- Your Words -God’s Words
- Your Nationality - God’s Kingdom
Race, Background
-Your Image -God’s Image
-Your Feelings -God’s Feelings
-YOU -GOD

a) Our role in the Body – 1 Corin. 12: 20-27
b) God’s life in us, affecting our life style Mt. 10:34, Col. 3:1-7
c) God in my work, done to His glory Col. 3:17, Col. 3:23
d) Putting on the mind of Christ, trying to see things as God sees them. Phil 2: 1-11. (Humility is controlled strength.)
e) Power of Spirit at work in us. 2 Cor. 3:18
f) God speaking through us- gives us confidence. Mk 13, – but must be with love (1 Cor. 13)
g) God accepts all without label Galat. 3:28
h) We are made in God’s image, be proud of it. Gen. 1:26
i) We are freed from past feelings, hurts, resentments, Matt. 58. If our hearts are pure, our feelings are pure.
j) GOD IN YOU. Therefore we are More than conquerors. Romans 8:37

To sum up: He must increase, but I must decrease – John 3:30.
- as far as the old man is concerned.
- but in Christ, I am a new creature, and I must value myself as such, and rejoice in it. 2 Cor. 5:16.

The Christian Community

This should be the love of God, active in the world, as its members are transformed, into the likeness of Christ, and are set free to be the people God intends them to be. As they are set free, they become creative and so able to show the same acceptance to others, so that people can feel secure, within the Church, and find the freedom to express themselves creatively, without the need to put on an act- either ranking themselves out to be more than they are, or undervaluing what they have to give.

From the book ‘Like a roaring Lion’ by George Otis

‘God made just one of you, and He made you for His own pleasure. Then He broke the mould – you are wonderfully unique to Him. He loves you with the same intensity and divine passion that He does the most brilliant, or beautiful, or noble person you have ever seen. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made in his image. You are a child of the King – literally royal – and don’t you forget it!’

Bryan Pollard

‘Trade in what you are, and what others think, and receive, believe and speak out what God says about you and your life.’