Into the Fire

To continue from yesterday . . .

Disappointing, too, for me anyway, is the absentia of Jesus in “Christian” fiction. Hey, if it’s sold in the Christian bookstore, published by the adherents of CBA, where is He? And why can’t a good writer figure out a way to present Him just as He “appears” in real life? How does an ordinary believer establish his/her relationship with Jesus in school, the workplace, etc.? Or do they? Well, if He’s Numero Uno in someone’s life, they find a way. Waiting on the Holy Spirit for just the right moments, conducting oneself in contrast to the worldly ways without passing judgment on unbelievers, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, casual conversation that includes the mention of the Lord in some non-threatening fashion . . . If Jesus is who you’re living for, you find ways to “allow” people to know that fact about you.

However, equally disappointing is a clichéd version of the gospel which shows nothing more than a tract’s-eye-view of the faith. Without the meat of the struggle, the challenge to remain faithful, the sorrows of failures, the redemption of reinstatements or restorations, and/or to paint an unrealistic approach to sin and its consequences, a story has left out the guts of Christianity and presented this flaky, often fluffy, picture of what it truly takes to walk the talk. And while I do believe there is an audience for many books, some of the arguments on different sites have been about the benefits of such books which are formulaic and unchallenging to the readers.

Another thing I find both disappointing and annoying is the quick wrap up of a story—as if the author has reached the preferred word count—so story’s over. The length of a novel is irrelevant in many cases, but when you attach a preferred word count to a story, you are setting up a formula which will for some result in a repetitious style. And no matter how good the stories might be, after awhile they all seem formulaic, easy to figure out, and less imaginative. The characters may be new, but the way of the story is old. Readers figure out what to expect. The variety disappears. The publishers keep churning them out because there is a “market” for them, but in reality what a reader might enjoy in a writer’s work is dissolved into endless repetition, and the writer might enjoy huge success at first, but over time the reader will move on to something different.

Look, I know there will be new readers to replace those who move on. I’m just expressing personal opinions/frustrations/observations in the industry. We keep hearing about this search for a “fresh voice”, but few houses are willing to gamble on one. They need to see an established “platform” with which to launch their author, their assurance that an individual is “qualified” to write anything other than his name and/or can be marketable. The books still keep coming forth—and many of them look the same. I suspect that’s because when it’s all said and done, “established” voice wins out over “fresh” un-marketed voice and those who know how to adhere to the “formula” are published over those who don’t want to adapt to it or simply can’t.

Last but not least, “every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father”. God has a way of confounding everyone who thinks he knows more than he actually does. I don’t know that you can call “humbling” a “gift”, especially when it can happen in a less than desirable way—as in humiliating—but God uses what He so chooses however He decides to use something. And when Christian businesses tie up all their measures of success in the dollars and cents columns, God just might step in and demonstrate that what really and truly matters in “success” is obedience to Him. So the more those things which draw away the Christian businessmen and women from prayer and supplication to Him, listening for directions and acting in obedience to those directions, the less and less personal and corporate “success” they’re going to see. Justifying “success” by material wealth is a stealthy enemy of faith and can easily turn into the love of money over the love of Jesus. The root of all evil is loving the wrong master and right along with it is thinking more highly of oneself than one ought.

Father, you are fair, generous, and actively seeking out your people to speak with them, direct them in all their dealings in this corrupted world, and show them compassion as they struggle to hear your voice and remain faithful to all you have for them to do. You know the difficulties, the battles, and you know you remain faithful to lead and accompany those of your servants who seek you first. You wait for us to turn to you, and often it’s well after we’ve failed miserably. Help me, Lord, to turn to you first and foremost for direction, to listen with my undivided heart, and to obey, always to obey. Please, Lord, help this weak instrument. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.