Talent Show

A few nights ago the His Mansion family gathered together for the annual Christmas Coffee House Talent Show. I was overwhelmed by the caliber of talent present in our little community, and I was even more awestruck by the tremendous creativity of the residents—creativity that in the past was stifled by Satan and self consumption. Those who previously used their voices to manipulate sang about the faithfulness of the Lord. Men and women acted and danced to draw laughter from an audience through playfulness rather than crassness. Hands once controlled by the desire for momentary pleasure touched keys and strings to make beautiful music. Minds once used to scheme and deceive collaborated to write a play.

When a lifestyle of drugs, addictions and destructive habits overtakes us, often our creativity is abandoned. An eating disorder takes the place of music in our lives. Alcohol takes the place of a paintbrush. Depression steals our voice. It really is a plot of the enemy as the first of God’s characteristics we read about in His word is that He is the Creator. “In the beginning, God created.” He created us in His image, so we too, were designed to create. The hardest punch Satan can throw is to steal creativity away from the Lord’s created.

Last night, as music and laughter seeped from the doors of the chapel, a message was sent to Satan and the powers of darkness: We will not be robbed of our passion. You cannot kill our desire. Our inspiration cannot be destroyed. Our giftings may vary, but they are nonetheless the imprint of our maker, and we will worship our Savior by singing and dancing and playing music and being the people we were created to be.

–ML