V is for Vanity by Susan Barclay

 

God gives each of us gifts to use for His glory. How often, though, these gifts can become a snare as we take pride in our abilities, forgetting the Giver and His intent. We can even turn our gifts into idols, as objects of worship and worth. Forgive us, LORD!

Seeking wealth through our art is vanity. The writer of Ecclesiastes 5 writes, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income” (v. 10), and the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (v. 12b). Oh, that we would all cease striving for millionaire status and learn to be content with what we have! The secret Paul refers to is the experience of relationship with Holy Spirit, Christ’s indwelling. Really, who could ask for anything more?

Seeking fame is also vanity. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 20 that God’s definition of greatness differs from ours. “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (vv. 26b-28). Our gifts aren’t meant to make us great; they’re meant to be used in His service. As writers, people who know how to use words well, the questions in the back of our minds should always be, “What message does God want me to communicate to others? How can I use my writing to touch others’ lives with the love of Christ? How can I use my words to bless others and build them up?” We all know that words matter, that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), or in our case the pen, computer or typewriter. Let our greatness be in service to our God and the people He has made.

We can be thankful for our gifts without becoming hungry for money or fame, which are ultimately dissatisfying. With humility, God can use our writing to glorify Himself and to expand His kingdom. Our best treasures are sent on ahead, found in Heaven, the dwelling place of our hearts (Matthew 6:21), and since this is Thanksgiving month in Canada, let us be especially grateful and content with all the blessings we enjoy in His mercy and love, including our ability to write well.

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com. 

O is for Omega and also Omicron by Susan Barclay

 

I recently finished reading Amazing Grace: the Life of John Newton and the Surprising Story Behind His Song by Bruce Hindmarsh and Craig Borlase. Among the fascinating facts this well-researched book offers is that John Newton wrote his autobiography anonymously to share the truth without becoming the spotlight. A later book, Twenty-six Letters on Religious Subjects, was published under the Greek word Omicron, because "Christ was the Omega, or large O in Greek, but John was simply Omicron, the smaller o."  Hindmarsh states eloquently, "You don't celebrate a monument: you celebrate what it points to." 

A powerful preacher, sermon- and hymn-writer, with an incredible conversion story, Newton might have capitalized on his assets. Instead, he served his churches and communities with the humble heart of a true pastor, going the extra mile as few others would, never forgetting the grace poured out on him by a merciful and loving God.

The point of this post for us as inspirational writers is this: how do we see ourselves? Do we seek to be celebrated for the gifts or testimonies God has given us, or do we seek to use our gifts and stories for His glory alone? Do we long for name recognition or to make His name famous?

God's Word is emphatic that He abhors pride and values humility. 

James 4:6 says, "...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Verse 10 adds, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you."

Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." A parallel scripture, "Store up not for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Matthew 6:19-20).

We have a tendency to want our work to be read and for all our effort to be rewarded. Is our motive God- or self-centred? Are we focused on flesh or spirit? Do we want our work to be read because it points people to Him or because we think it's a good story? Just thinking out loud here...

Psalm 25:9 says, "He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way."

Let Psalm 86:11 be our prayer today:

Teach me your ways, O Lord,
    that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
    so that I may honour you.

May He be both our Alpha and Omega as He becomes more and we become less. May the name that matters most to us be His.

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com.

 

 

F is for Fame by Susan Barclay

 

I’m probably dating myself, but do you remember the TV show Fame from the mid-1980s and its theme song (same name), written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, performed by Irene Cara? The lyrics speak of a personal desire for name recognition, stardom, glory, and to be remembered. A sampling reads,

              I feel it comin’ together

              People will see me and cry,   fame

              I’m gonna make it to heaven

              Light up the sky like a flame,   flame

              I’m gonna live forever

              Baby, remember my name

I have to admit I loved this show and looked forward to watching it week after week. Set at The School of the Arts in New York City, Fame portrays students who want to dance, sing, make and create music, and act, and who have a long way to go to achieve riches and fame. The students are talented, ambitious, goal-oriented, and hard-working, and the teachers seek to bring out the best in their students, whatever it takes.

As I think about it now from a Christian perspective, the message was “Got talent? Work hard, develop your gifts and abilities, and you too have a shot at being the centre of your particular universe and the object of the world’s adoration.” The yearning for acclaim is a natural, human temptation for anyone who excels in a specific field of endeavour, but it’s not a godly desire for followers of Christ.

God’s Word says,

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ~Mark 8:36

Also,

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father, but is from the world. ~1 John 2:15-16

Given the opportunity to have “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” in exchange for bowing down to Satan, Jesus said,

“Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” ~Matthew 4:8-10

There is only One worthy of renown, and it’s not us, the world, or the devil: it’s God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (yes, that is One!). We're going to live forever, regardless of whether or not anyone on earth remembers our names. Let's store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20), not earth. Let’s use our gifts (which are from Him) to bring Him all the glory and fame to which He is due!

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit her blog: https://susan-barclay.blogspot.com/.