words and The Word

Christian poets, writers, pastors, and other communicators for Christ have much in common. As ministers of words and The Word, we need:

Something to say
The ability to say it well
Credibility

Regularly reading the Bible gives us much to talk or write about, and practice helps us to do that well, but if we also have credibility, people pay attention. They begin to trust our ability to handle God’s Word and their concerns rightly. They might even become more open to God’s Word and work in their lives.

Without credibility, however, people will not believe us. They might expect to be entertained but won’t necessarily take us seriously.

To increase credibility:

Check the facts: Do you plan to write or talk about something you’re so familiar with that you see no need to research or verify scripture? Verify anyway! A Bible concordance, Bible atlas, or dictionary will help, but even more important is researching relevant scriptures on your topic and keeping them in context. Reading those same verses in more than one translation not only ensures getting the facts straight, but increases the opportunity of receiving those God-given insights that come with prayer and meditation on God’s Word.

Find your voice: Do you take on a tone that sounds like you think a minister or poet or writer should sound, or do you sound just like yourself? God made you as you are and gifted you with a personality unique to you. Reading a word-for-word translation of the Bible will show this in action. Compare, for example, the voice of King David in the Psalms with the prophetic voice of Jeremiah. Or, compare the Gospel and letters of John with the long, complex sentences written by Paul. In each of these instances, the Holy Spirit guided the writer or poet, and yet each book sounded like the individual.

Let the love flow: God has no favorites! And, as Christians, we can afford to be generous and gracious! We’re to love one another as we love ourselves. That becomes easier as we realize God is with us, God is in us. Then we can accept ourselves as God-loved and more readily notice that God-love in others.

Prayer: Dear Lord God, thank You for Your Word that shows us how to live and speak and write in a manner that’s credible, kind, and pleasing to You. Help us to believe and accept Your Word to us as we communicate Your love and truth to others in Jesus’ Name.

by Mary Harwell Sayler, © 2018
…

Author: Mary Sayler

Mary Harwell Sayler writes in all genres for Christian, educational, and indie publishers. Her works include 36 books for children and adults and over 2,500 poems, articles, and other short manuscripts placed in journals, anthologies, and e-zines. She also blogs about prayer, poetry, writing, and the Bible and works with other poets and writers through one-on-one critiques, edits, and poetry development for a small fee. View all posts by Mary Sayler