Into the Fire

Competition can be healthy. In sports it’s a good thing, a necessary thing. It promotes a betterment of skills, and it can mean excelling to the next level—or not. If you’re not going to be able to compete at a certain level, it’s better to find out as soon as possible. Children must learn—and often the hard way—that there is always someone more skilled, faster, at a higher level than they are. It’s a life lesson. Not an easy one to face. At any level or at any age, there can be tears, pain, and other difficult experiences and emotions involved in competition. It’s tough to do.

I was only competitive a few times. In grade school I was a fairly fast runner—but only for 50 yards. I remember Sarah Mowry was the fastest girl, if memory serves me right. I enjoyed volleyball in high school. I was average in sports and not highly competitive because I sensed I wasn’t going to get much better. However, when it came to the very small scale horse shows at the end of the wonderful week at the dude ranch I attended, I was all business because I loved to ride and felt confident doing it. Confidence does wonders for competition.

However, there is a time when competition seems terribly out of place. I’m not talking about when something doesn’t belong in the same category with something else—in other words, when something is clearly not done well and doesn’t measure up to the basic requirements of a craft.

Christian fiction is no place for competition, is it? A subjective art, defined by inconsistent standards, a value determined for its worthiness to win a particular award with each judge adhering to their own interpretations and opinions of certain rules of selection and content being nominated by whom? Think about the numbers of Christian novels to hit the shelves each year. How many awards are there? How important are these awards to the real value of a novel?

It all comes back to this infamous line again, doesn’t it? “It’s a business.”

So, if we award certain novels with these impressive “prizes” indicating excellence, does that mean that other writers should “copy” the styles and stories of the winners? Even if that is what it meant, it wouldn’t be possible. Each author has his own voice. Granted, some are similar. And, no, there is nothing new under the sun. However, each author must tell the story the best way he knows to do, and his motivation should never be to win an award but rather to please the Lord and satisfy himself as to having given it all within the pages of his story.

In reality Christian authors are not to be writing to compete with one another but instead to further the message, the enjoyment, the entertainment, the aesthetic value of fiction written with the Lord in mind. If a writer who is a Christian has been gifted by God to put words on a page in story form, that’s the bottom line. God is no respecter of persons and does not hold one up over another. He values each author just as he values each motel maid and homeless lost soul. This is not to say he finds no pleasure in the art created to honor Him. On the contrary, when anyone acts in obedience to His leading, there is a blessing to follow, but it doesn’t always come in recognition, fame, fortune, awards, and monetary provision. If we are called to write, we can take joy in sharing the creative process in written storytelling, participating in His given inspirations. And taking satisfaction in knowing we have given Him pleasure by completing the process to the best of our abilities.

Yes, there are “platforms” to be used for His glory, not for the author’s or for the individual publishing house’s glory. Yes, it is good to give honor where honor is due. But I have a hard time thinking it is honorable to hold up one writer in a category and proclaim him “the best”. In fact, I think it’s out of order. Embarrassing for the one who “wins”. Humiliating for the ones who “lose”.

I wonder how others feel about this.

Father, I’m only as “good” a writer as you’ve allowed me to be. I write to honor you in hopes that you will use my work to further your kingdom. That is my heart’s desire—to be used by you. Let it be so, dear Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.