“We did not receive the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities to spiritual people. But the natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. To him, they are foolishness, and he cannot understand them because they are discerned spiritually. But the spiritual person understands everything, though he is not understood by anyone.”
(First Epistle to the Corinthians, ch. 2, v. 12-15*, the bold text is ours)
The disciples of Christ were ordinary fishermen with a few exceptions. Most of His followers were common people, lacking education or qualifications. Yet, these very people changed the world! With God's help, they created a new world. Is it possible for you to feel like a "fisherman," someone who is incapable, foolish, lacking talents, or inspiration for great or even small things? How are wisdom, creative force, and the human spirit connected in the passage?
The disciples did not remain as they were—carnal people. Through the creative power of the Holy Spirit, they became spiritual. As we see in the above passage from the First Corinthians, spiritual people are truly wise—those who understand and evaluate everything, yet are not understood by this world, which does not know Christ. All this is because of the Holy Spirit, who has come to dwell in us, as He dwelt in Christ here on earth. The Greek word for “spiritual” is pneumatikos. The root of the word comes from pneúma, which means "breath," "wind," "spirit." Spiritual people are also inspired people. God's Spirit in us makes us capable of anything that God Himself desires us to achieve in our lives. He is the creative Force, who “formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” (Genesis, ch. 2, v. 7*)
Adam was created in God's image (Genesis, ch. 1, v. 27*), and the Lord Himself is the Creator. He deliberately gave Adam the task to name each animal created by God in the garden. Adam is also a creator, like his Creator, who breathed His living creative Spirit into man. However, after the fall, everything changed—Adam and Eve died spiritually. All of us, their descendants, die with them. Our spirit is dead until God breathes Himself into us again and revives us. This happens when a person repents—the Lord accepts them, washes them, and revives their spirit again, coming with the Holy Spirit to dwell within them. We have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. This means our spirit is alive again. He makes us wise, makes us “spiritual people” who understand and can do everything.
The question is: What else does the Holy Spirit do in us after reviving us?
He makes us creators. This may sound daunting at first glance, but it is the truth. The words we speak, the thoughts we have, the love that has come into us through the same Holy Spirit—they begin to create in our lives and in the lives of those around us. This is why 12 people changed the ancient world. This is why the history and culture of modern Europe have been shaped by Christianity. Within us, as sons and daughters of God, resides an incredible potential for creation and building. However, when we forget this or believe that we cannot, that we are foolish and incapable, when we begin to think like “fishermen” rather than “apostles of Christ”—this brings destruction. Do not imagine inspiration as an event you need to wait for and which does not depend on you. It is already an inherent quality of your spirit. Through the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, you are capable of everything you need to accomplish. The ideas you have, your talents, everything God has instilled in you and wants to achieve, can and will be realized. Choose to create.
Challenge: What can you "build" this week, what can you create? What tools and materials do you have at your disposal? Step outside the clichés of what creativity is. Creativity is every good thing that has been instilled in your mind and heart and that God wishes to realize—from a wonderful meal for your family to sharing the Good News with someone on the street, from writing a poem or song to donating money or clothes to someone in need. There are no limits to creations, as long as they are according to God's will. Create consciously with words, thoughts, and actions in the coming days.
*Biblical quotes are according to the text of Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013.
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