by Jerry Senn
In one of Jesus’ most interesting parables, he honored a dishonest manager with these words: “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their generation than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8).
Of course Jesus wasn’t commending dishonesty itself. He was saying even dishonest people show greater creativity in their dealings with problems than do the “sons of light.”
At times in our walk with God we may find ourselves solving problems or arranging our affairs by simply doing things the same way from generation to generation. Now, wise habits are admirable, but they may not totally suit the situation as time passes.
In a church where I preached, many years ago, our youth group was growing and growing, and needing to upgrade the seating to get rid of some very old pews because nails were protruding and they were very uncomfortable for the students.
But, the leaders said, “you know those pews were in the auditorium 20 years ago. They worked well then, so why replace them?” This is just one extreme example of being less creative simply because of past habits.
John Maxwell tells the story of a chicken farmer whose land flooded virtually every spring. The floods were a horrendous problem, but he refused to move. When the floods came back each year he would try to move his chicken coops and race around collecting all the chickens he could, but many always be lost.
One year after suffering heavy losses from the flood, he came into the farmhouse and in a voice filled with despair, told his wife, “I’ve had it. I can’t afford to sell this place to buy another place. I don’t know what to do.”
His wife calmly replied, “Buy Ducks.”
Creativity is a trait not always admired by those who don’t have it. But, think how creative our brethren have been in taking the gospel of Christ to the nations by using wisdom and creativeness. Jesus wants us to use every mode and method consistent with his word.
Paul said, “for freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). We must not become slaves to the good habits that could be replaced or adjusted using our God given creativily.
Perhaps we have much more freedom under Christ than we have put to good use.
“Creativity is essentially a lonely art. An even lonelier struggle. To some a blessing. To others a curse. It is in reality the ability to reach inside yourself and drag forth from your very soul an idea.”
—Lou Dorfsman