The online Cambridge
Dictionary describes “vulnerability” in the following way:
Vulnerability: “the
quality of being vulnerable (= able to be easily hurt, influenced, or
attacked), or something that is vulnerable:”
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/vulnerable
Vulnerability in a Question
This writer is forever thankful to God for the book The Wounded Healer by Henri J. M. Nouwen. Nouwen poses a thought-provoking question at the beginning of the book and answers it throughout its pages. The question is, “What does it mean to be a minister in contemporary society?”
(Nouwen, Henri J.M., The Wounded Healer: Ministry in
Contemporary Society (Image Doubleday, New York, 1972), p. 3.
A major contributor to the development of my voice as a writer was The Wounded Healer, written in 1972. The
question Henri Nouwen asks still encourages a response from ministers and other
servant-leaders today.
Allow me to offer a few brief
points on how I answered and reflected on Nouwen’s question.
A question to invite vulnerable
answers
Nouwen’s question intrigues me
to this day, years after I read his book. For the sake of this blog post, I
thought I would put a little spin on his question.
What does it mean to be a writer who is also a Christian
in contemporary society?
My friends, free your minds to
give thought to your answers. What does your call as a writer mean to you? What
do the words eager to jump from your brain on to a page want to say to the
world, your readers?
Here are a few suggestions I
offer for your consideration.
Write as a “Wounded Healer.”
In his reference to Christian
ministers, Henri Nouwen notes a particular image in focus throughout his
answers to his original question. The image is that of the minister as “the
wounded healer.” This is he or she who is aware of one’s vulnerability, one’s
woundedness in coming alongside people who suffer. In short, servant-leaders
are to recognize themselves as those who also suffer.
Every time I sit down to
write, I write as a wounded healer. My own experiences of suffering teach me to
bring hope to other people who suffer. The call of a Christian writer in the
world we live is that of a wounded healer. We suffer, therefore, for the sake
of our readers, we write with vulnerability. Our vulnerability brings
authenticity, not weakness, to our words.
Vulnerability shows honesty in
one’s words.
While dictionaries portray
vulnerability as weakness, one can also harness this “weakness” as a strength.
Vulnerability allows us as writers to be unashamed about emotions and the words
we commit to a page. Our words can evoke tears, giggles, and deep thoughts.
They represent us as writers.
Whatever I write, in all its vulnerability,
is based on an honest observation of life. Honesty realizes the value
vulnerability brings to the words one sends into the world of readers.
Vulnerability in one’s
writing brings hope
A hope I pray for my writing
is readers will use my words to wrap around themselves and know they are not
alone. This is reason enough to show vulnerability on the page. Vulnerability
makes us aware of our limitations and dependence on God’s mercy and grace.
Vulnerability in our writing
has a hope to wrap our arms around the souls of our readers. The Lord Jesus
promised He gives rest to our souls. This blessed rest allows us as writers to
show genuine vulnerability in our words to reach the souls of our readers.
My
friends, to write as a wounded healer is honest, hope laden, and shows
vulnerability. May it be so with all of us.
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Alan lives in a small village
called Deroche, British Columbia, with his wife, Terry, and their poodle,
Charlie. He enjoys walking on the dike near his home with trees all around,
where he finds inspiration for his writing. He occasionally writes articles for
FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian
Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan is the new BC/Northern Regional Rep. for
InScribe. His website is https://scarredjoy.ca.
