Examining the Creator and Those Who Follow

The Chickamauga Nation - TCN

December 5, 2025
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Cultural Preservation

Examining the Creator and Those Who Follow

© TCNPress.Org
By Line: Fort Smith, AR
November 11, 2025

There are specific attributes of the Creator one would expect to see in those who claim to follow or be led by the Creator.  One should expect these attributes of the Creator to be expressed in those who claim to follow.  We all have a few bad days where we fall short in our attempts to live up to these expectations, but those days should not be an everyday occurrence.

Historically, many have claimed to be “right” or “good” in their behavior toward the Creator and the Creation. Still, their pride and arrogance in making such a statement supplant their humbleness and charity and belie reality.  

As a Citizen of The Chickamauga Nation, it is my daily desire to live in a right relationship with the Creator, the Creation, and my fellow man.  Are we successful every day? No, we fail to meet the demonstrated attributes of the Creator, and the expectations we place upon ourselves to be more like someone claiming to follow him.

Several times a day, we must calm ourselves and reflect on whether we are measuring up to the attributes expressed by the Creator.  Hopefully, we follow a list that, although not comprehensive, allows us to judge ourselves and our actions in comparison to the Creator.  We must stop and ask ourselves the following questions:

1. Do I express love in every action and reaction?  Not eros (sexual) or phileo (brotherly) love, but agape (the love of giving oneself to fulfil the needs of another as the Creator expresses toward the Creation).  Do I seek out those who need love expressed to them, so they know they're loved and valued?

Do I demonstrate agape when dealing with those with whom I vehemently disagree?  Am I showing love by trying to understand their perspective?  Do I love them enough to look past perceived faults and see their value in Creation?  Do I love them the way the Creator loves them?

2. Did I express Joy in all circumstances today?  Joy is so much more than happiness; joy is contagious and brings others to a place of joy.  Did everyone around me know I was full of joy, or did they see me demonstrate something other than joy in a situation where they observed me?  

3. Did I demonstrate a peace within my soul, mind, and spirit so that everyone around me could see it today?  Did I help bring peace to situations that I confronted the way the Creator would bring peace?

Do others see me at peace with myself and others, or do they see something other than peace?  When I express peace, within myself and situations, I help bring peace to others.

4. Did I demonstrate patience with those who are just beginning their journey in knowledge?  Am I demonstrating patience with those around me when they struggle with things I find easy to accomplish?
Do I show as much patience for those who agree with me as I do those whom I struggle to understand?

5. Do I demonstrate kindness to those who are not kind to me?  Did I react with kindness when my motives were questioned publicly?  Did I demonstrate kindness to those who seek to hurt me?

6. Do I express gentleness to those who need a gentle touch?  Do I demonstrate gentleness to those who struggle with attaining the goals on my list?


7. Did I demonstrate self-control in the face of hostility?  Do I demonstrate self-control in a way that inspires others to be self-controlled?  Am I self-controlled enough to please the Creator with my behaviors?

The biggest challenge many face is completing each of these tasks throughout the entire day.  While some may sometimes hit the mark and get one or two down, the other five can trip us up.  Other days, we never make it to breakfast before we have failed on every item, but our goal is to strive to win the battle each day with each item, to be more like the Creator.

I remember a new member training course I once led.  I would often go home afterward and ask myself why it was taking them so long to get it.  Why can't they follow my instructions or understand things as well as I do?  Then a very wise person I have been married to for over forty years reminds me I was just like them forty years ago, and to demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control as a person who has been practicing it for over forty years, instead of acting like I was hearing these things for the first time myself.

Over the last forty years, has struck a cord in the depths of my heart.  I am now closer to the end of my journey than the beginning.  Am I am closer to fulfilling my desire to be more like the Creator than I was in the beginning?  Am I still trudging along in the daily morass and drudgery of mouth service or am I striving daily to demonstrate my desire to be more like the Creator?

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