“Planting the Seeds of Passion”
Dear Writer, I hope you had a beautiful week and began to explore how education has grown your unique message. This week, we’ll wrap up our series on voice by looking at its single most influential factor. That factor is your values.
You see, writer, every “voice ingredient” we’ve listed over the past three months mixes and merges to create our values. At heart, our writer’s voice is simply the written expression of our values, the weight we give them, and the way we convey them.
But before we dive in, let’s pause and look at others whose values shone through their work and made their voice distinctive.
Values in History
William Wilberforce is a strong example of a man whose values shaped his voice. As a young politician, Wilberforce’s value of God’s will nearly caused him to abandon politics altogether. But at the counsel of friends, Wilberforce allowed his values not to drive him from politics but to fuel his political action in a dramatic way. As a result, British society was reformed, and the slave trade was abolished in Europe.
You see, writer, sometimes we may feel there is a mismatch between the things God’s put in our heart and the world we live in, or even the genre we’re called to write. But here’s the thing. God delights in doing new things. Sometimes the intersection of our values and the unique arenas He’s places us in opens doors of His light and truth to those who may have never experienced it.
Values in the Bible
John the Baptist is another powerful example of a man whose voice was shaped by his values. From before birth, the Lord set John apart as a voice to call His people to repentance and to prepare the way for the Christ. John’s value of God’s holiness and of His coming Kingdom was the driving force of both John’s message and lifestyle. After Jesus’ ministry began, John continued to call people everywhere to a life of holiness, including King Herod. John’s strong stand, and even his untimely death, still speaks volumes of the power and purity the Lord desires for His people.
You see, writer, more than any other aspect of voice, it’s our values clarify and amplify our voice and cause our work to echo through time. When we allow God’s word, plans, and purpose to shape those values, they can build a message that spans centuries.
Values in Life
My values began shape my voice in my early teens as peers began to engage in precocious behaviors. When they invited me to wave at boys with them or talk about adult subjects, I would simply smile and excuse myself. Those quiet but firm values spoke volumes, and though those girls ultimately spurned them, those same values led me straight to Oral Roberts University, to my calling, and to my future husband. For some of them, their path was much less clear and littered with heartache. And here’s the thing…
Not everyone is going to like the values and voice God has given you or the message He’s called you to write. But here’s the thing. You cannot underestimate the power of a seed. And as you embrace your God-given convictions, they can open not just a path for you but also for others. Let me prove it to you…
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- …so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:11
- For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12
- I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! – Psalm 138:2
- I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. – 1 Corinthians 3:6
- And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” – Mark 4:26-29
You see, writer, when we are faithful to the values, message and voice the Lord has planted in us, we can trust that He will indeed accomplish His purposes through them, though for a time our efforts may seem to bear little. Just like Wilberforce’s values, though at first scorned, transformed his nation. Just like John the Baptist’s values, though they led to his death, paved the way for the King of life. Just like my values, though they isolated me for a time, in time brought me through a journey I have been able to lead others through.
And it’s the same with you, writer. When you allow the light God’s given to shine through you, it will begin to plant seeds of passion in the hearts of others, too. Because here’s the thing…
Where to Start with Values
Our values are those things that stir our heart with passion. They are the things that fill our hearts with fire and drive us on our journey. And the only way to spark passion in the hearts of others is to have it burning hot in your own heart.
So are you ready to take a closer look at your God-imparted values? Here are a few things to keep in mind…
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- Know Your Non-Negotiables. What things in life do you find to be immovable? Truthfulness? Integrity? Kindness? A good work ethic? There is no right or wrong answer, and your preference for one over another doesn’t necessarily mean that this value is more important than the rest. What’s it does mean is that God has hardwired certain values into who you are. As you begin to recognize what these values are, you will undoubtedly begin to spot them as recurring themes in your writing.
- Know Your Passions. What moves you to tears or causes your heartbeat to quicken? Review some of life’s most moving events, interactions, and causes. What was it about them that stirred you? It’s likely that your answers to these questions will be tied to deeply held values.
- Know Your Metrics. How do you make hard decisions? Examining what metrics we’ve used to determine our direction during life’s most trying moments can reveal strong convictions. Even our deep-seated fears often point to what we value…though they come at them from the negative.
- Know Your Lessons. What deep lessons had God taught you? What do you tend teach others? What lesson would you want your loved ones to learn if you could only given one? Here’s the thing: our most deeply held values are most often the points where God has most shaped and formed us…or where we most need that shaping.
You see here’s the thing, writer. We are designed by God to impart values of some kind in everything we do. All seeds replicate after their own kind, and in all our work we can’t help directly or indirectly representing our convictions, whether for good or ill. But the more we embrace and own the values God’s implanted in us, the more clearly and powerfully He will be able to speak through you as His life and light drive out fear. Because here’s thing…
Culture will always try to push you to value sameness and comfort through fear and intimidation. But it is often through our values that the distinctiveness our God-given voice can and does speak most strongly. Just like He spoke through a deeply devout and fully engaged politician. Just like He did through a man whose message and life flew in the face of established religion. Just like He did by teaching me to walk differently with grace and courage…and then to help others do the same. And here’s the final thought…
When we allow our God-given values and voice to shine, it reveals a unique reflection of His glory designed to reach the hearts and minds of a specific people in your generation. And it’s your distinctiveness that makes His word sand light stand in contrast to the darkness and confusion that surrounds so many.
So I encourage you, as we conclude the series on voice, to take all that you have learned and leverage it to make your voice stronger, taking care not to lose your uniqueness. It’s as you become the very best you you can be that He gains the most glory in and through you and your journey.
#voice #value #journey #EveryWriterWriting
