May 25, 2010
Writing as a Ministry: The Combative Know-It-All
During my senior seminar in biblical studies I gave a presentation on Matthew 12, and addressed the sin known as blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I had a pretty good guess at what it meant, but I wasn’t certain.
I explained the passage based on my best understanding of the context and the commentaries, and almost everyone seemed satisfied except for one student. She sat in the back row and kept saying that I hadn’t said enough, that I wasn’t clear, or that I hadn’t interpreted the passage correctly.
I can’t remember the exact substance of her comments, but no matter what I said in reply, it wasn’t good enough. She kept pressing her point, and I started to feel attacked. Standing in front of my peers, I’d taken a solid whack at a difficult passage that didn’t have a scholarly consensus.
Give it a rest!
Though I was pretty confident in my answers to her questions, digging in to slug it out wouldn’t do either of us much good. Instead, I briefly explained the interpretive options one last time, summed up why I liked one of them best, and sat down.
After class a friend said she appreciated my approach to this passage. I didn’t belittle other perspectives. I didn’t attack the other student who challenged me. My friend said she now had a clear idea of what the passage could mean and that I’d helped her sort through it all by sharing everything I’d learned.
That conversation was a life-changing moment. Truth-be-told, I was quite flustered after the presentation. However, my friend taught me that having the right information wasn’t enough. I needed to remain humble, offering what I’d learned to others without becoming combative. By backing down instead of defending myself as the know-it-all authority, I’d created an environment where others could learn and think for themselves.
A writing ministry should aim to address the main concerns of readers and to raise awareness of important topics that may not be noticed, but the tone and attitude of a writer can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to ministering to others.
If we want to bring insight and clarity, humility and cooperation will serve us well in our writing ministries.
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If only clarity, humility, and cooperation were cornerstones of all types of ministry… we might be a bit more effective in being heard and in hearing others.
Good stuff, Ed. Thanks for writing it.
Thanks Carey and Chris.
Thanks for the great post. Really enjoyed reading it and it is challenging me to rethink why I write the things I write, and also how they are written.
During the Easter season I was impressed with how many times Jesus’ detractors challenged him to come down from the cross and “prove” he was the Messiah, while his very act of love on the cross was, indeed, the proof of who he was.
The world wants winners and losers, the Kingdom of God is looking for humble servants. Jesus–the very Word of Truth in the flesh–did not feel the need to defend the truth, he only felt the need to live the truth. Yet so many “Writing Ministries” are based upon defending the truth–as if He needed our help. He doesn’t. He needs our demonstration.
I’m so glad you learned your lesson well that day in Senior Seminar, Ed. Blessings!
Thank you Carey, Chris, and Patrick. I appreciate your comments. Ray, that’s quite a meditation on the cross. I don’t think I’ve ever thought of it in that light, but I sure will now.