Be Uncommon - Get Wisdom
Recently, Joaquin Fernandez wrote an article entitled How is Fiction Affecting Your Child’s Education? He highlights the inherent dangers of being constantly saturated in fiction and makes a valid point — our modern, young generation maintains such a dependence on fiction and drama that many have become vulnerable to the danger of being disengaged with reality itself. As media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Reality TV, and YouTube are becoming integrated as part of “normal” life, the possibilities are endless for overexposure and façade. Meanwhile, today’s movies and books perpetually feed this disengagement habit instead of challenging the trend, matching and even exceeding the horror, war, tragedy, depravity and crime that fills our world. A constant diet of common fiction produces deadened sensibilities, no occasion for the exercise of active sympathy, escape from reality, and a morbid focus on emotion. It fails to equip the reader to cope with life. Fernandez makes a strong indictment that storylines rarely transfer over to the real world. One of the main questions he poses is “what does a young writer….know about the issues of life at his age?” The implication is that a young person has no business writing fiction.
If you are young, have a passion for writing and feel the burden to share truth and influence others in a meaningful way, this point may cause you to bristle. It may leave you feeling angry, sad and suppressed. However, the issue Fernandez raises is worthy of wise consideration. Some understanding can only be gained by life experience. Does a young writer, then, just shelve his passion and gifting until he has a few years under his belt?
No. I believe God is raising up a generation of young believers who are being equipped to bring His truth and hope to our world. But it will be a battle. You will have to contend for life-changing quality in what you write and seek out a wisdom rarely grasped by people your age. You will have to be uncommon.
Apprenticeships or relationships with older people – Seek out people with the grey hair of experience and wisdom. Most older people, sensing a young person who sincerely wants to be mentored about life, are eager and joyful about sharing the wisdom they have gained through experience. Look for life lessons in the stories they tell. Listen. Be teachable. Our modern society, in its idolization of youth and beauty, trends toward discarding the aged, and in exchange, loses out on the benefit of their wisdom. Get wisdom.
Seek wisdom from God directly – The Word tells us He loves this request, and answers by generously giving us understanding by His Spirit and through the Word itself. As followers of God, the deposit of His Spirit within us allows us the ability to discern things we would be naturally unable to do. Living Scripture will provide insight and truth. This is an advantage for a young, Christian writer!
Keep the Word your main diet of reading – I often use the analogy of reading scripture as being like health-food to grow a buff, inner spirit-man, and a steady diet of worldly reading being like junk food to weaken him. Move on from the milk, and eat the proverbial steak! It will mature both your heart and your craft. Don’t habitually put yourself under the influence of corrupting things. Cut out the worthless, and protect your head and heart.
Watch (guard) over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23
Be accountable – Surround yourself with godly people who will help you hold to the standard that Christ sets before us. Allow them to challenge you towards your best — self, effort, and works. First, and foremost, determine to be accountable to God, and permit His Spirit to prick your conscience so that you can turn away from wrong and not diminish your influence.
Here’s the challenge. If your reaction to the discussion above is dismissal, consider Jeremiah 17:9:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Allow God, daily, to examine your heart, pointing out areas that need renewal, and allow Him to refine you
, so that you can walk more fully in the calling placed upon you, for which your gifts (like writing!) were intended. Be uncommon!
Reference:
James 1:5, 1 Corinthians 2:14-15, Proverbs 2:6-9, 1 John 2:27, Proverbs 2:2-5, Psalm 101:3a, 1 Corinthians 3:2, Proverbs 4:7, Psalm 119:130
See original article:
How is Fiction Affecting Your Child’s Education? Joaquin Fernandez
