“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people (Colossians 3:23 NLT). 

This verse encompasses all we do, not only as people, but also as writers, though it can often be hard to understand exactly how we are to do this. But God showed me some practical steps to help us to honor Him in our writing lives.

Respond graciously to harsh criticism or critiques 

Not everyone will always like what we create. No one is exactly alike, and personal preferences vary across a wide scale on every subject imaginable. Even so, when someone is harsh in their critique of our work, it can be very hard to not bash them in return. As word artists, we put our heart and soul into our work. But our work is not our identity. Our adoption in Christ is our true identity. So pray before responding to the critique. Give yourself time to cool down. Ask yourself, “What would Jesus say in this situation and how would He say it?” 

Honor God with our content

Whether through the words we use, the characters we create, or the themes we discuss, everything should align with God’s Word. I have sometimes started out enjoying a book series but reluctantly chose to get rid of the series because something in them didn’t agree with God’s Word. But how, specifically, can we honor God with our writing? 

• Include Christian themes
• Avoid profanity and swearing in dialogue.
• Pray over your work and ask God to show you what lines up with His Word. Prayer is key! 

For further insight, read the following Scriptures: Galatians 5:19-21, Psalm 1:1, Matthew 15:19, 1 Corinthians 6:9, and Colossians 3:5 for things to avoid. As for a guide of things to strive for, look up Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 13, and Psalm 1:2.

Influence the world, don’t blend in

Our job as Christian writers is to influence the world, not blend in with it. But so many times, we allow the world to influence us and our work. Honoring God includes doing what He asks, which often means sticking out and being different. Honoring God also includes protecting our brothers and sisters in Christ by not including anything in our writing that will make a fellow Christian stumble. That might vary depending on the topic, but again, prayer is key. If you are uncertain about including something in what you are writing and you think that your discomfort might be the Holy Spirit speaking to you, it might be better to keep the item out of your manuscript. Remember that 1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV says, “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial.“ 

James 3:1 NLT says,  “We who teach will be judged more strictly.” As “teachers” in the world of writing and story, we have a responsibility to be careful about what we say. If we don’t take this responsibility seriously, we will be judged strictly for it; we will be of no help to the lost and could make others in the body of Christ stumble because they will think that because we seem to approve of something questionable in our writing, it’s okay to do that thing. We must be different so that non-Christians take notice. We must let the light of God shine through us and our writing for all to see. (Matthew 5:15) As authors, we have an incredible opportunity to reach others with the Gospel through the written word. But we also have an incredible responsibility, as well: to lead with grace and wisdom and bring others to Christ through our example and our words. As Colossians 4:6, KJV says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”