Called or an Offering?

Photo courtesy of foto76/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’ve always found the topic of “one’s calling” fascinating. We all wonder at times in our lives what our specific calling is and it’s a topic that has consumed many pages of books, blog posts, conference notes and so on. It’s often used in discussions around vocations and careers.

When I started to meet writers I was at times surprised and, often intimidated, by the fact that so many mentioned they were called to write. Because I didn’t and, still don’t, consider myself called to write. So thoughts of wondering I was less of an author quickly came to mind.

I’m one of those conservative types that when people mention their calling I immediately think of Abraham, Moses, David and the apostles. People who’ve had a very specific instruction from God to do something that He wants done and that will bring Him glory. Because if God wants you to specifically do something He’ll sure make sure you know. Won’t He?

Similarly, I’ve met and read stories of missionaries and pastors who’ve received a specific confirmation that the Lord wanted them to serve Him in those vocations.

What an honour and, what a responsibility, a calling brings with it. Do I want that?

Well, of course I do.

But over the years I’ve come to realise there are plenty of pastors and missionaries who, in the absence of the divine interaction, have chosen to serve God using the gifts He has blessed them with.

And the same applies to writing. God has blessed us with gifts of storytelling, a passion for sharing those stories and even the craft of writing. (I think I might have been away when this one was handed out. Oh, how I love editors!)

Writing in Obedience

I recently read an ebook (it's also in paperback) by two authors, Terry Burns and Linda Yezak: Writing in Obedience – A Primer for Christian Fiction Writers as in its promotion I saw it made mention of this topic of calling. I was intrigued to see what they had to say. By the way, it covers a lot of other ground for new authors, hence its tagline.

Terry is now also an agent and he was called to write.

In Terry’s view, a calling is specific and God will confirm it in some way. Sure, you may not have a burning bush moment or some other miraculous happening but God won’t leave it to chance. He’ll make sure you know. Terry at times felt intimidated that God has called Him to write: “He’s asking us to write His book.” (page 5)

Terry presented the alternative of using our writing as an offering to God. He stressed that God is no less interested in we “offerers.” “The only difference is that we are writing our book and offering it to Him rather than writing one He has given us.”(page 5)

Linda, now also an editor, on the other hand, experienced similar concerns that I did in not being called to write. But she came to realise that God blessed her with a gift of storytelling and for sharing her stories with an audience.

Terry has discovered that there may be specific projects that God calls us to write; for example, a specific novel. People are called to do certain things during particular seasons in life. When I reflect on the various God moments I experienced when writing Angelguard I can see God’s hand in it. The fact a few readers still write to me long after they’ve read it making mention of how it continues to help them in their spiritual walks reinforces that thought.

But what I do know is that we as believers are all called to love Jesus and others. And by using our gifts we’ve been given we are serving Him and the body. In continuing to offer our writing to the Lord, who knows we may one day discover that indeed we were … called? Maybe?

Linda sums it up nicely:

“It doesn’t matter whether God called you to write or you write as an offering to God. Both glorify Him.”(page 17)

I’d love to read what the rest of you think. Do others grapple with this notion?

Notes: Writing in Obedience – A Primer for Christian Fiction Writers by Terry Burns and Linda W.Yezak; Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Honouring the Least

Who doesn’t love a hero/heroine? Don’t we all look for the hero in the stories we read, and build one into the stories we write? I find this a challenging task as a Christian writer. Usually heroes are those who rise to the top, who conquer, rescue, who win others over with charm, achievement, chivalry, strength. Yet if we want to write a story which mirrors the teaching of Scripture we are faced with honouring very anti-cultural values.

In Biblical stories we see that God chooses the powerless, the weak, the little ones, in order to show His power. From the very beginning, God uses unlikely figures, and in one way or another, they are always unable, inept, unprepared, and incapable. Sarah and Abraham, Moses, Rachel and Rebecca, David, Jeremiah, Job, were all ‘powerless’ in some way. Being at the bottom, the edge, the outside, is the privileged position spiritually. This is where God seems most often to choose to work. Those at the centre of God’s stories are those who fail, who run and hide, who are outcast, often unlovable or weak in human terms.

Throughout the Gospels, we find numerous
teachings promoting downward mobility. "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be your slave." Matthew 20: 26-28). Jesus consistently honoured the least, the outsider, the sinner, and the handicapped. None of these images are glamorous, nor the most desirable place to be, but Jesus challenged His disciples to find greatness in being a servant, to die to self and put others first. 

In the Old Testament we love to see how Daniel, David and Joseph persevere through enormous struggles and end up in privileged positions in their society, but still the real success was in their inner changes. Many of the characters central to biblical stories have sad ends to their earthly life. The only real hero is God, of course, and the glory goes rightly to Him. But how often are we tempted to make our heroes into figures that many readers will be attracted to; those who rise up from lowly, broken, powerless positions, to places  of strength, achievement, success, and of course, happiness? Don’t we want our readers to aspire to be like our heroes? Don’t we write stories in which we at least hope to emulate our heroes and heroines? Don’t we all want the happy ending?

I think it’s difficult to write stories where the heroes are truly heroes in the spiritual sense, where their greatness is seen in servanthood, where their strength is shown in self-sacrifice, and their success and charm is portrayed in the way they honour others above themselves. I’d be really interested to hear about the heroes you love to read and write about.  

As I’ll be on my way home from Africa when this is posted, I’ll look forward to responding to your comments a few days later.

Carol’s novels are based on her family ancestry in Australia from the First Fleet and include the Turning the Tide series; Mary’s Guardian, Charlotte’s Angel, Tangled Secrets and Truly Free. Her earlier novels Suzannah’s Gold, and Rebecca’s Dream have now been re-released by EBP. You can see more about Carol and her novels on her website.

 www.carolpreston.com.au

Or on  FB      www.facebook.com/writingtoreach

Her novels can be found at EBP   www.evenbeforepublishing.com

                                                     Or Amazon  www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston