Just for fun, a friend and I have been telling stories together in a high fantasy setting. Because of the kinds of stories we like to tell, they have a lot to do with real life issues, just in a more magical setting. Because this has to do with real life and I like to show people what God is like, we have in these stories an “over-god,” if you will, to represent the real life God. I struggle sometimes writing this character, because even though this isn’t actually God, he represents a lot about God and I don’t want to say something heretical or blasphemous. A while back I mentioned this struggle to a friend of mine who has been a pastor’s wife and a teacher at church, and she pointed out that technically we are writing God any time we teach a Bible lesson. When you teach someone from the Bible, you are telling them what God says but in your own words. Whenever you are telling someone about God, you are telling them what He is like to you, and you should be careful that you are telling the the whole truth about Him.
This has helped me with the story writing, and has also made me look in a new way about how I prepare Bible lessons and write on my blog about God and His Word. I haven’t really done much differently since I’ve always tried to be careful to present the truth properly, but it has reminded me how important it is to study and to be sure that when you say that God says something or is a certain way, it better be what He actually said and how He actually is.
Related:
God’s Words, Not Yours
You’d Better Be Representin’!