 Pastor Daniel Kayode |
An understanding of our true identity is the first step
towards developing a nation. It takes people with good self-awareness to
release the beauty locked up in nations.
The discovery of our
creative nature is the first step to making meaning contribution to national
development. The potentials of every nation are hidden in its people – their
values, cultures or traditions. Over the years creativity has been reduced to
the ability to make work of art, sports and entertainment.
An understanding of
who we are as individuals is the first and most vital step towards developing
creativity. This piece focuses on three
areas: Defining Creativity, Man as a creative being, Tools for developing
personal creativity.
Defining Creativity
Definition is crucial to understanding this subject. If you
cannot successfully define it, you can’t understand it. Creativity is an
instrument of development. Creativity is a tool for generating divine ideas,
concepts and solutions. Innovations are direct offspring of creativity.
Revolutionary feats all stem out of creativity.
What is Creativity?
1.
Creativity
is employing unknown methods in solving known problems.
2.
Creativity
is manipulating known methods in unraveling unfamiliar problems.
3.
Creativity
is tapping into the unknown to generate tangible products.
4.
Creativity
is the ability to turn mental pictures into realistic and applicable solutions.
5.
Creativity
is providing solutions by tasking the mind.
6.
Creativity
is accessing the supernatural and finding solutions for challenging issues in
the natural.
7.
Creativity
is converting thoughts to realizable concepts.
These definitions are so vital because they hold the key to development
of any nations. This is so because it provides unique insights, revelations,
information and truths that is unique to that nation.
It delivers treasures to nations. It gives nations access to
trade secrets, secrets that engenders development. Unique technology is one of
the great assets deliverable by creativity. When nations can tap into the
divine deposits in their people, unique inventions will naturally emerge.
What develops nations is not in the land, but in people. The
creativity in people is what turns natural resources into exportable products
or services that command great national wealth. The great inventions and
discoveries of yesteryears all came because certain individuals unlocked their
creativity.
If the creativity in Africans can be unlocked and encouraged,
what eyes have not seen, what ears have not heard and what hearts are yet to
conceive would emanate from this continent.
Man as a Creative Being
Every human being is potentially creative. The makeup of man
suggests that he is a blend of the natural and the supernatural.
Genesis 1:26 -27 reveals a fundamental truth about the true
nature of man. God, who is supernatural (Spirit) said, “let us make man in our own
image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he
them.”
Genesis 2:7, introduced another dimension to man’s makeup. “And
the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” We find two words
standout in these two chapters of the bible: to create and form.
Man was created and Man was formed
What does it mean to
Create?
·
To
create is to bring something into existence.
·
To
give rise to something
·
To
produce inventions or art
·
To
use imagination to invent things
What this means is that to create is to make something
tangible from something that is not already in existence. It is birthing
something that physical eyes can’t appreciate. It is capturing a vision.
What does it mean to
form?
·
To manifest
·
The shape or structure of a thing
that gives it its distinctive features
·
The shape or appearance of a thing
that makes it identifiable
·
To start to exist
·
To become visible, distinct or discernable
To form is to give shape to something existing in the realm
of the supernatural. It is giving a body to the created. The created is in its
supernatural state but when given form, it appeals to the natural.
After God created earth, it was discovered that it was
without form, void and dark. Let’s say it was dark, void and without form. This
is because; the first thing God dealt with was darkness.
He went ahead to fill up the earth, but gave the assignment
of giving earth form to man. He did this because trapped in man is the ability
to give form to the creative deposit in him.
The Creative process
Man was originally a thought, an idea, and an imagination, a
concept in God’s mind (Created) before he was released or made to manifest
(Form). The, you, that we see is the manifestation of the “created” you.
The created you is the son of God, while the manifested you
is the son of man. Trapped in every son of man is the son of God. Trapped in
the offspring of the earth is the offspring of heaven. Trapped in the formed is
the creative.
You manifested naturally to release the supernatural. You
manifested with form, to release the creative. The released creativity is what
gives form to earth.
Tools for Releasing
Creativity
One vital tool for releasing creativity is Divine Information. To release the
creative demands information. I see information as a compound word made up of
three syllables: IN + FORM + ACTION. These
define thoughts, ideas and concepts. Thoughts IN you, FORM ideas,
which release ACTION inspiring
Concepts, which engenders creativity;
What are Thoughts?
·
Thinking,
idea produced by mental activity, reasoning power, intention, or expectation
·
Set
of ideas: the intellectual, scientific and philosophical idea associated with a
particular place, time or group.
What are ideas?
·
Opinions,
Suggestions, Impression, plan or concept.
·
A
mental image that reflect reality
What are Concepts?
·
Something
thought or imagined, broad principle affecting perception and behavior.
·
Understanding
or grasp (Basic understanding)
·
Way
of doing or perceiving something (Method, plan or type of product or design)
These three components of information, when engaged activate
creativity in man. When creativity is activated solutions are released. Without
this kind of information, creativity will lie dormant.
Steps to acquiring
Information that activates Creativity
1. Don’t Stop Learning
When you stop learning, the creative
genes in you start dying. We live in an ever changing world that requires
continuous acquisition of knowledge to stay relevant.
When get a point where you think you
know it all, you have arrived at a culmination, you will start depreciating.
When a man dies, he is lowered to the grave.
Henry ford was quoted as saying, “Anyone
who stops learning is old, either at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps
learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” Only
continuous learners stay young and relevant. Be open to knowledge and your creativity
will know no end.
2. Don’t stop Reading
Reading shapes your understanding. We
live in a world of letters. The Spirit that controls the cosmic actions of
planet earth has their dwelling in letters. Intelligence has its root in
letters. The two greatest icons that have walked planet earth were men of letters
(Moses and Jesus). Moses wrote, Jesus read.
What turns thoughts into ideas is
reading and what turns ideas into concept is reading. Jesus was quoted often
saying, “As it is written”. He was
connected to books. Books shape your looks.
Addicted readers always look and feel
confident anytime they are engaging in ventures that seem impossible. The
quality of books you read matter a lot to your destiny or where you end up in
life. What you read shapes your thoughts, your thoughts shape your ideas, your
ideas shape your concepts and your concepts set the pace for your products.
A wise man was once quoted as saying,
“you will be the same that you are this
year in five years’ time, except for two things, the books you read and the
people with whom you walk.” Show me your library and I can tell picture the
creative deposit in you.
Readers end up masters in their
field. Reading leads to mediation and meditation leads to uncommon success.
Reading connects you to the spirit of authors.
3. Don’t Stop Listening
Whatever controls your ear gate
controls your faith. Romans 10:17. Whatever controls your faith controls your
creativity. Your ability to create is a direct function of your faith.
No faith, no creativity, little
faith, little creativity, a measure of faith, a measure of creativity, great
faith, great creativity, and it goes on and on. What you keep listening to will
shape the way you think. It would also influence the kind of books you read and
ultimately decide your products.
Addiction to hearing the word of God
will do your faith a lot of good and give you sound creativity. God gave you
two ears and one mouth, so that you can hear twice more than you speak. Good
listeners always end up great speakers.
4. Don't Stop Observing
This is a key ingredient for activating the
creative content in you. Ability to see helps you shape ideas and develop
concepts.
5. Don't stop Documenting
The ability to write down what you picture in the
mind is another vital ingredient that enables your creativity. Your memory can
fail you, but what you pen down can't. The human mind is programmed to replay
and pre-play, but it pre - plays well when it is not over stressed with trying
to recall past events.
6. Don't Stop Speaking
The ability to speak or communicate your ideas is a
vital part of the creative process. Faith comes by hearing but is given form by
speaking. What you say is what empowers the creative seeds in you. Learn to
speak words of faith to yourself, encourage yourself and also learn to inspire
yourself in prayer.
7. Don't Stop Acting
The creative process will be aborted if it is not
coupled with the right action. Taking steps is the trigger for the creative.
Make that move!
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