The Novels We Write

Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash

I have a friend who uses this metaphorical expression: “I probably wrote my own novel about that person.” (Implied: The novel is fiction.) She says this by way of confession. 

And don’t we all do this? We take our limited facts, our preconceived notions, our stereotypes and biases—and we compose our own novels. We create stories about people. Sometimes the stories stay in our heads. And sometimes we speak them out loud. 

Last week one of my adult sons had a scary experience. Someone wrote a novel about him. And it could have been really bad. Later he wrote in a text, “Mom, I was petrified.” 

This is not what a mom likes to hear. 

So this week I write as Mama Bear. I am sending this plea through my tiny blog platform. And maybe you could help me by taking it to heart, and by sharing the wisdom with a few of your people.  

God’s Command #9—Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Friends, let’s not be writing our own novels. 

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. (James 3:9-10)

James had a lot to say about our tongues. He also gave strong warnings about FAVORITISM. Which if we’re being honest has a whole lot to do with the novels we write…

My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4) 

What stories are we telling ourselves about the strangers we meet? 

Switching gears for a minute…

Last week I heard an insightful message about Romans 8. In this pinnacle chapter of his monumental letter, Paul describes the contrast between “life in the flesh” and the astonishing life of brand new humans, redeemed by Jesus and filled with the Spirit. The AHA for me in this particular message was the emphasis placed on the role of the MIND. 

For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6) 

The speaker delivering this message was a woman named Katie. Katie talked about the power of the mind to direct our lives. She called it a battle of IMAGINATION. The imagination of the flesh versus the imagination of the Spirit. Big difference. Right? And in order to transform our minds, we give the Spirit access to our imaginations. I found this to be VERY helpful. 

Goodness. I spend a LOT of time imagining things, and my flesh tends to imagine endless horrors. Primarily in the form of fears: 

Fear of accidents

Fear of injury

Fear of loss

(When I was a child I’d lay in bed listing all of my fears to God. Every. single. night.)

But the most dangerous fear of all, is the fear of PEOPLE. In particular, fear of those humans we perceive to be “different.”

The imagination of the flesh is a crafty beast. And evil. 

But—the Spirit. The mind of the Spirit imagines people the way Jesus sees them. Full potential. Assuming the best. Compassion and mercy. Beauty and grace.

Just imagine letting go of fear and letting the Spirit fill our minds with endless possibilities. For ourselves and others.

I once read an article (I’ve long forgotten where) about a research study which sought to identify the top characteristics of “happily married people.” Even the researchers were surprised by the results. Above all others was this distinguishing feature: Each spouse tends to assume the best of each other. 

I mean, wow. What if this was true about people in general? What if we assumed the best about every human? Every stranger?

Come Holy Spirit, and be the One to write my novel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.