It is fairly acknowledged among the Church at large that the spiritual gifts listed in Scripture are not exhaustive. This should be an encouragement to the saints of the vast variety of gifts within the Church that can be used to serve one another and to glorify the Lord (1 Peter 4:10-11). The Spirit distributes the gifts and we are to seek them (1 Corinthians 12).
The first book I wrote in "The Ones Who" series starts with the gift of creativity. It is a gift not listed within the four major passages on spiritual gift (Ephesians 4:11-16, Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-31, and 1 Peter 4:10-11). Therefore, it would not be included in a spiritual gift test given in some Christian circles.
Still, creativity is the first thing we notice when reading the Scriptures. God created the world from nothing in six days and rested on the seventh (Genesis 1-2). God Himself is a Creator. He created the world to bring Him glory (Romans 11:36) and Creation itself motivates us to worship Him (Psalms 33:6-9).
As God is the Creator who created the world to bring Him glory, we as Christ followers create as a reflection of our faith to bring Him praise. Art stirs us to see the Creator and His redemption. We can see this in stories like The Chronicles of Narnia with Aslan, as a depiction of Jesus, who guides characters through their respective journeys. Books have been written about Blockbuster films and how the Gospel can be seen through its narrative. A prime example would be "The Gospel Reloaded: Exploring Spirituality and Faith in The Matrix" from the early 2000s trilogy, the Matrix. Paintings and sculptures can make people stand in awe for hours strolling through a local museum. Music can be seen as prayers, which holds a depth of raw emotion words alone simply cannot do.
Every creative piece does not speak to every person, but every person has been impacted by a form of creativity.
This is the beauty of creativity. Like the diversity of ecological terrain, which calls some to climb mountains, others to sail the seas, and some to the stillness of a valley. A variety of creative arts by Christ followers is needed to reach the world. Poems, paintings, films, photography, sculptures, songs - all of which can point people back to the Creator.
The next time you interact with a piece of art that tugs on your heart, ask yourself, "How does this point me back to the Creator? What about it reminds me of an aspect of God's character? Does any of it radiate the Gospel story?"
