The Choice- To Serve or Destroy

While listening to a panel of authors talk about creating unforgettable characters, my mind began to file away information for a blog post on writing tips.

However, the panel began discussing something I hadn’t thought of before and so I took down a few notes to share here in today’s post….

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When developing an unforgettable character, a writer needs to decide if the character will be the main character of the story or not. For instance, Harry Potter is definitely the main character of the entire series and he is surrounded by many supporting characters. Same thing with Frodo in Lord of the Rings, and Katniss in Hunger Games, etc.

But one author asked an interesting question. What happens when a character realizes he or she isn’t the main character of the story…or even their own life story? How do they react?

Take Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series. He is the best friend of the hero. In the fourth book, Ron realizes that he isn’t the main character or hero of the “story” nor will he ever be. He also realizes he isn’t the main character even of his own life story and he may never be. How does he react? He is jealous of Harry at first…but then realizes that he has to help Harry with this huge task of defeating evil once and for all. Ron could have chosen to be the villain, but he chose to help the hero.

And that’s when I thought of the story of Christ and Lucifer.

Here is Lucifer, the most beautiful of all God’s creatures. He is called The Bright and Morning Star. He is described as being more beautiful than all the other angels in heaven. But then he shows pride and arrogance and is cast out along with many of his angels. At this point, Lucifer realizes that he is not the main character of this story.

How does he react? With pure hatred. This hatred is what fuels his actions forever. He knows he can never defeat God Himself, so he decides to defeat God’s creation instead. And so he appears to Eve and tempts her and her husband, Adam.

After that, we see in the Bible this pattern over and over: Abel pleases God. Cain does not. He realizes he is not the main character in the story. He realizes his brother did good…so he hates the hero and destroys him.

Some chose to help the hero instead of work against Him while others are so filled with hate, they must destroy.

When Saul realizes he isn’t the main character, he seeks to destroy David who is. We see this with Jesus where Satan thinks he can tempt the Christ away from the will of His Father…but fails. Instead of helping and serving the Hero, he seeks to destroy Him. 

The Pharisees and the Sadducees fell into this pattern as well. When they realized they were not the main characters of the story, they sought to destroy Him. And on and on and on…

So, the question is….have you yet realized that YOU are not the main character of your life story? Do you see now that it’s not about YOU? How do you react to this realization? Do you hate the Main Character? Or do you strive to serve Him and get His message out to the world?

Perhaps you haven’t come to this realization yet and you still think that you are the center of the universe and God orbits you. Well, let me be the first to inform you that you are NOT the main character of your life story and this story has nothing to do with you, but it has everything to do with Christ.

Now that you know, how will you respond?  You have two choices…..

You can hate the Main Character and seek to destroy Him and His Creation. Or you can love the Main Character and seek to serve Him and further His message.

“Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” –Joshua 24:14-15

Joshua got it. He knew that the LORD was the Main Character of the story and of his life. Instead of fighting Him or hating Him…he chose to serve Him.

Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…..and choose wisely.


Blessings,
Ruth