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| Melinda Viergever Inman |
Write
the Uncomfortable Truth
As writers, we may be called upon to write hard words, to step
into the role of a prophet—one who has to proclaim uncomfortable truth,
regardless of opposition. Prophets make people squirm. But prophets are
essential. When something needs to change, the Lord has always used the voice
of one crying out.
Christian voices speaking truth are addressing many matters:
- continuing racial division in the church and in our country
- sexual abuse of children by the clergy
- sexual harassment or abuse of women by male church staff
- damage done to the church by political affiliations
- social barriers that keep people out of our churches, rather than welcoming them in to hear the gospel of God’s grace
All of these issues, and many others besides, cause the church
to appear to be something that it should not be, rather than a holy gathering
of people who love, trust, and follow Jesus.
Unfortunately, until Christ returns, the church will always be
imperfect. It’s comprised of sinful people who are in the process of growth,
for none of us reach perfection this side of glory. Just read the New
Testament. Almost every church mentioned has an issue.
So, how does the church deal with this wisely? The world is
watching.
Ideally, we all listen to one another. We all repent. We all
ask forgiveness for our wrongdoing. We all forgive. We all go forward seeking
growth in Christ. Harmony returns. And then when the next crisis occurs, we all
go through the process again.
But often this isn’t the case. Instead, we do nothing.
We grow comfortable with the status quo. Slowly we morph into
our broken society, becoming more like the world than like Christ. Therefore,
prophetic voices are needed, calling for repentance and change.
Most writers don’t want this assignment. We don’t want to make
people uncomfortable.
But when the Lord gives us the task of writing a hard truth,
we must rise to the occasion and follow in the steps of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
John the Baptist.
How?
We make certain of our calling.
We pray for God's wisdom.
We repent of our own hypocrisy in the area of question.
We seek the Lord, asking him to purify our hearts.
We immerse ourselves in his Word.
We listen as he speaks there.
And we edit the dickens out of those posts.
I agonize over these posts more than any other, spending many
days revising and revising again, seeking exactly the right tone:
Firm, yet loving. To the point, yet humble. Truthful, yet
kind.
I imagine the backlash. I prepare myself beforehand for the
arguments. I question yet again if this is what the Lord wants said at this
time and in this way. Yet, I also rest in the fact that eventually, one day,
these truths will be revealed as right.
I pray. I sit in silence.
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| Matthew 10:26 NIV |
If you’re called to step into a prophet’s shoes, I encourage
you not to be afraid. Write what God has given you. As you do, keep these
things in mind:
You’re not the only one saying/writing this. When God moves,
his Spirit moves broadly. Others are already thinking, speaking, and writing
the same things. In fact, this is yet another confirmation. You are not alone.
The outcome of your words is entirely dependent upon the will
of the Lord, the purpose he has, and the response of the hearers. We can build
our argument, but will their ears hear it? Maybe yes. Maybe no. That’s up to
the Holy Spirit and the softness or hardness of the hearers’ hearts.
God will use your words with the audience he intends. You may
never know whose heart was touched or how the situation was changed. You may
not know who the other voices of truth are. But God does. That’s all that
matters.
The Lord will uphold you, no matter the outcome. He is with
you. Do not be afraid.
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| Melinda V Inman, Author of: Refuge; Fallen; and No Longer Alone |
Raised on the Oklahoma plains in a storytelling family,
Melinda Viergever Inman now spins tales from her writer’s cave in the Midwest.
Her faith-filled fiction illustrates our human story, wrestling with our
brokenness and the storms that wreak havoc in our lives. Find her weekly at http://MelindaInman.com/blog/.
To find her work and to be notified of future published novels, follow her at http://bit.ly/MelindasBooks/.
Connections:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melinda-V-Inman/189731601076470
Website: http://melindainman.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelindaVInman
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