See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills. Exodus 31: 2-3

I don’t consider myself a creative person.  I’ll confess that when preparing to write, I Googled “creativity”.  But when I read this passage about God gifting Bezalel, Oholiab, and all those other workers with the skills necessary to create beautiful things, I’m not jealous.  I’ve accepted the fact that while I’m good at doing some things, I could never paint a masterpiece. 

Therefore, I’m not creative.

Then I feel God pushing me to think more deeply about what’s been recorded in the Bible.  God is blessing these people with talents to create something.  But ultimately what they’re creating is not just gold, silver, and bronze art.  Or finely cut stones and wood.  It’s not just finely crafted furnishings, or sacred garments for the priests.  They’re creating a Holy Place in honor of God.

Through this passage, what God is telling me is that I, together with my community, soar when we use our talents to create spaces that honor Him.  And while this passage does focus on the talents of amazing artisans, I shouldn’t overlook the outcome.

I don’t have the talents to craft with gold or wood, but I have the talents to serve.  Brewing coffee for the Sunday worship is never going to get me a residency at a famous art gallery, but it certainly helps create a welcoming space when people come to worship the Lord.

My skill at pushing a lawn mower is never going to get me a groundskeeper job at the August National golf course.  But I know my willingness to serve neighbors in my community who need help with their yards creates a community where they feel loved and included.

I can’t craft fine furniture or tables, but I’m a great listener. I know my ability to sit at someone’s table, listen to their problems, and help talk about Jesus then creates a space that brings them closer to His goodness.

When I zoom out, I realize that these are all small strokes of my brush. When combined with the talents of others, these acts help paint a masterpiece of a community that honors God. I am an artisan, chosen by God to create something beautiful!

Challenge yourself this week to be creative. Think about the wonderful spaces that God wants you to create, then match your talents to areas where you can help create those spaces.  And remember, even the most complex masterpiece is made up of many small, but important strokes.