You were created to be creative. You may be thinking, “I don’t have a creative bone in my body. I don’t paint, decorate, dance, or sing!” Trust me– I don’t either. However, creativity is much more than being artsy. Cambridge Dictionary defines creativity as “the ability to produce or use original and unusual ideas.”
If you are going to succeed in business or investing, the ability to produce creative ideas and solutions to problems is an invaluable skill set. Thankfully, creativity is in our DNA. In fact, God gave us a creation mandate that each one of us is called to fulfill. This blog will unpack the creation mandate and discuss how it is an invitation to partner with God.
What is the Creation Mandate?
The Creation Mandate, sometimes called the cultural mandate, is found in Genesis 1:28. It is God’s original blessing for humanity:
“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God entrusted humans to take care of the earth through the creation mandate. God gave us all of creation to steward. How we draw out the potential of the animals, environment, and natural resources matters to God.
In her book, Be Fruitful and Multiply: Why Economics is Necessary for God-Pleasing Decisions, Anne Bradley explains that stewardship and scarcity go hand in hand. Our job is to multiply our resources within our limitations:
“We have limited time, limited talent, and limited treasure. We are asked to use these gifts with their limitations to the fullest, and when we do that well, we have more leftovers (profit). The more time, talent, and treasure that is leftover, the more we can serve others and fulfill God’s desire for us.”
God gave us a huge responsibility through the creation mandate. The good news is that He also blessed us so that we can fulfill it.
Genesis 1:26 says that we are made in the image of God, and God is a creator. You have creativity in your DNA, and the creation mandate is how we exercise it. So, what exactly does it mean to be fruitful and multiply?
God Said Be Fruitful and Multiply Meaning
Being fruitful and multiplying is not just about having babies (though it certainly includes that.) Essentially, “be fruitful and multiply” entails stewarding our resources with God to the best of our abilities.
Let’s take a closer look at these words in the original Hebrew:
Fruitful: pârâh:
to bear fruit (literally or figuratively):—bear, bring forth, to be, cause to be, or to make fruitful, grow, increase.
When you exercise your creativity and bring forth something into existence, you are being fruitful. Whether you start a business, a book, or a family, you operate in the cultural mandate.
The act of building wealth is an example of fruitfulness, too. As you grow and increase your earned, passive, or business income, you are living in the Hebrew meaning of what it means to be fruitful.
Multiply: rāḇâ
be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous
On a basic level, multiplying involves turning one into two, two into four, and so forth. However, I love how this definition also talks about multiplying in the sense of becoming great and becoming much. God’s abundance overflows out of His nature, and He wants to share it with you. Not only that, but He wants to show you how to be a multiplier so that you can share abundance with your community, nation, and world.
How to Partner with God: The Creation Mandate in Your Business, Finances, & More
1. Abide in Christ
Jesus makes it clear that we cannot create anything of lasting value without Him. John 15:5 says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
Abiding in Christ in your business, finances, and family can look many different ways, but it starts with inviting the Holy Spirit into those areas. Consult the Holy Spirit as you work, create, and make decisions. Integrate scripture and prayer throughout your day. Know that the same God who created the universe is right beside you and ready to guide the work of your hands, too.
Producing “much fruit” can look like a promotion or increase in your profits. However, it also looks like The Fruit of The Spirit. You will truly transform your work environment when you bring love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control into it. Plus, The Fruit of the Spirit proves you are abiding in Christ and fulfilling the creation mandate!
2. Maximize Current Resources
Multiplication starts with using what you have. You must learn to be faithful in little things before you can be faithful in large ones. As we maximize what’s in our hands, God will multiply it. Having children is an excellent example of this partnership. We play a small part in creating and raising children, but the miracle of life is really all God.
God can do a lot with a small offering or an act of obedience. Think about Jesus feeding the five thousand. All the little boy offered was five loaves of bread and two fish, yet Jesus multiplied it and fed a huge crowd!
God wants to bless you so that you can be a blessing. You don’t have to have all the answers. All you have to do is be faithful with what you have and walk in obedience.
3. Steward Your Sphere of Influence
Think about the places and spaces you frequently go to. Your home, work, or church may come to mind. You may have a following in the social media or digital space. Whatever it is, every single one of us has a sphere of influence. We are responsible for stewarding that sphere of influence well.
The seven mountains of influence is a helpful paradigm for thinking about your sphere of influence. The seven mountains represent the main areas that influence a culture. They are business, religion, government, education, arts and entertainment, media, and family. As the Body of Christ stewards our sphere of influence in the seven mountains, the Kingdom of God will advance throughout culture.
Remember that one of the definitions of “multiply” is “to become great.” God’s will is for you to become great so that you can lead your sphere of influence with biblical wisdom and principles. You show you are faithful and trustworthy as you abide in Christ and maximize your resources. Those are the kinds of people God wants to promote!
Learn More in this video, How to Partner with God: Principles for Growth and Increase
In conclusion, God wants to partner with you in everything you do, from the big decisions to the daily details. When we say yes to partnering with God, we can “be fruitful and multiply” as we are meant to do. To learn more about how to practically implement the creation mandate, check out this video with Colin Carr, the Founder and CEO of CARR! Colin will share how he used biblical principles for growth and increase to become the leading provider of commercial real estate services for healthcare tenants and buyers in the United States. You will be inspired and learn how to boldly bring your faith into your finances, family, career, and more.
