Write in the Most Excellent Way by Tina Yeager

Write in the Most Excellent Way

by Tina Yeager

 

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal”

(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1, NIV).

 

Delectable prose carried me from page to page. I traced the lines so I could pause to savor a phrase without losing my place. I sighed and praised the Creator of such remarkable talent. The author’s superior skill inspired and discouraged me. I aspired to improve while aware my work stood little chance of competing at this level.

As I pulled back from the page’s lyrical prose, the Holy Spirit whispered truth into my soul. He never called me to compete. I thwart rewards if I invest my talents in comparison. Yet the Lord exhorts me to greater excellence than material standards can measure. Jesus commissions me to serve words in love.

Love thy reader.

I polish my writing to better meet each reader’s need. Compassion must motivate my craft development, research, and how I reach out to audiences. Esteem as a gifted author amounts to nothing compared to my level of empathy and devotion as a messenger. I only fulfill my call if I pour the love of Christ from my heart onto each page.

I wonder how agape might flow with greater purity from my work if I apply the checklist of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to each message. Have I shared patience and kindness? Could I edit out the errors of pride, envy, or condemnation? How does my writing celebrate truth, protect souls, and offer hope?

We can pen words with talent and skill to master the standards of this world and earn acclaim. While eloquence garners attention, no impact surpasses empathy. As Christian writers, we can choose to bless the world by writing in “the most excellent way.”

Jesus, thank you for rescuing me from the emptiness of life without your love. May your Spirit continue to shape me and my every word to serve as a vessel to pour your healing, life-giving grace into the world. Amen.

 

Award-winning author, speaker, licensed counselor, and life coach, Tina encourages audiences to fulfill their potential. Her 10-week, ten-minutes-a-day Subdue Stress and Anxiety course features 15 expert presenters. She hosts the Flourish-Meant podcast. Check out Beautiful Warrior: Finding Victory Over the Lies Formed Against You and Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose (Bold Vision, 2022). Connect with Tina at tinayeager.com.