Why Bother to Write?
by Ron Estrada
As I write this the blogoshpere is running rampant with stories about Miley Cyrus’ plunge into depths of entertainment depravity, Another shooting in Florida, The Australian baseball player who was murdered in the U.S., and this little scrap in Syria which, apparently, the U.S. will be fully immersed.
All in a day’s reading.
A Christian writer will experience a multitude of reactions to stories like these. First, as a human, horror and concern. Second, as a Christian, sadness and hope for the soon return of our Lord to put an end to this mess. Third, as a writer, a bit of excitement, because we have more fodder for our stories than at any other time in recent history. I promise you, right now, one of our writerly brethren is taking a Miley type character and ushering her down the long road toward repentance.
Because we are all of the above: Human, Christian, Writers — we experience the full spectrum of emotion. We are much like the homicide detectives and forensic experts who must look past the bodies and focus on solving the crime. It cannot be easy.
Writers, though we normally don’t find ourselves between a family and their dead loved ones, must reign in our emotions as well. “But wait!” you say. “Aren’t we supposed to release our emotions onto the paper?” Well, yes, you are. But if the truth were to be told, most of us would prefer to curl up in a warm cave somewhere and hide from the madness swirling through our world.
One of my interruptions on this writing journey was just this very thing–I’d read Drudge Report every day and be almost certain that the end of the world was at hand. So why bother writing? Depending on your POV, we’re about to be severely persecuted or raptured out of here, so let’s not start any long-term projects, okay?
While I understand now that God’s plan is intact and it may take another tick of His celestial clock to wrap this show up, I know that our perception of events and His will likely never coincide. Yes, my friends, the world is sinful, tragic, horrible, and deserving of God’s wrath. But He has also placed us here, and has kept us here, to fulfill a purpose. Right up ’til the final trumpet.
We’re writers. This is our calling. If God did not want me to type these words today, He would have found a more useful vocation for me until His appearing. Something like a hair stylist. We want to look good for the tribulation, after all. But He made me to write. And made you to write.
Our job is to separate the horror of what we see around us (even Miley), and transfer the positive emotions to paper. I don’t mean positive emotions like hope, happiness, and all that jazz. I mean emotions that can pull your reader into the story and have it make some sense of all that seems to be exploding in her world.
The negative emotions are those that make you want to scream “Why bother?” You bother because it’s your job. Your calling. Your eensy little task to accomplish to complete that pieces of the puzzle. If you don’t answer the call, God will find someone who will.
Yesterday Super G told you that you are not as important as you think you are, to leave it in God’s hands. Let me follow that up by saying you are a part of His plan. You can be replaced, but what better way to reach out to a dying world than writing the words that may change another heart for Christ? Just one and all the angels rejoice.
So like the homicide detective, you have to reign in your emotions and put them to good use. If you are angry over the murder of an innocent, get the story written with the lesson you want to impart. Whether it’s justice, mercy, or forgiveness (maybe all three), let your passion drive the story. Think you can pull anywhere from one to a thousand stories out of Syria? Push aside the impending threat of WWIII and bring a piece of the conflict home. Even a romance writer can pull a morsel out of such carnage. I’m betting a few already have.
Use the “Days of Lot” to fuel your stories. Yes, you have to look at more suffering than you care to in one lifetime, but someone has to paint the truth from God’s perspective. Write His parable for the day. Somewhere, a reader is feeling one of those negative emotions–hopelessness, fear, horror. Show her how God’s love fits into all of this. That’s your job.
