Writing Starts with Courage

While January is a month of new beginnings, I always sense I’m staring the month behind. Holidays, tax estimates, year-end reconciliation, and taking the steps needed to begin a new fiscal year—these events always seem to eat away half the month. Add in a delicious Saturday snowstorm giving me a day of second-childhood, and the temptation becomes diving into the month’s work without sitting back to pray and contemplate the year’s journey.

 But it matters too much not to ask how I want to end the year or what joys and sacrifices it will take to get there.

 The problem with such contemplation, for me, is that what I want for the year always scares me. How will I accomplish that? How will I pay for it? When will I sleep? And the most important fear: What if what I produce isn’t any good?

This year, the Lord reminds me that the year is a journey—and that the common biblical metaphor, that we should live by walking rightly and in the right places, is the answer to my fear.

Habitual “Walking”

Paul uses the Greek term peripateō (“to walk”) frequently to mean “to behave or live as a habit of conduct” (BDAG, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, 804; see Eph. 4:1, for example). That “habit of conduct” part is important. Hebrew makes a similar connection to walking and how we conduct ourselves habitually. The word hālak also means “to walk” or, metaphorically, “to behave” in a customary manner (The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, “hlk”).

 Proverbs 2:6–10 shows the connection between wisdom and habitual behavior in this metaphorical but real journey:

 “For the LORD gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

guarding the paths of justice

              and watching over the way of his saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice

              and equity, every good path;

for wisdom will come into your heart,

              and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;”

(Proverbs 2:6–10 ESV)

 This passage primarily is speaking about wisdom concerning righteousness. The Lord gives wisdom to those who habitually show up in his presence and behave in a manner congruent with what they know already of his will and character. When we behave well, as much as we know to do, God gives us more understanding for how to behave well. Then we can “walk” on “every good path.”

The same is true for what I want to write. When I habitually work to do the best I know how to do, show up in the Lord’s presence while I write, and courageously move my pen with integrity to my soul, he will give me the wisdom for what should go on the page. As I go on this journey, daring to write what the Lord has given, then “wisdom will come into [my] heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to [my] soul.”

 So I don’t have to worry about whether my product will be good. I just have to decide to have the courage to show up. As I show up, the Lord will teach me along the way. That sounds lovely. Perhaps this year will be my road to Emmaus, and my eyes will be opened to all things beautiful and good.