Or why I’ll continue to write sinful characters…
Why do I write about sinful people? Because they have a story to tell.
My first novel was about a deceitful husband who had an affair and his flawed wife who discovered the indiscretion. Neither character was sinless, and that was by design. There were lessons I couldn’t expose if the characters did everything the “right” way.
All stories don’t include teachable themes, but most Christian-based novels do. Well, except for books written about lost dogs, wild horses, and brand-new babies. Often, clean entertainment leans toward sweet and endearing. And the world needs those stories, too. But if a narrative must highlight forgiveness, it should include showing characters needing forgiveness. If a story details a broken friendship or marriage, sin on behalf of someone typically caused the rift.
In Christian writing critique circles, debates occasionally brew around whether the main protagonist in a Christian story should sin. Or, if they sin, should the prose show sinful actions within the scene. These conversations tire me, especially when I consider the bible, which did not omit the stories of:
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Cain slaying Abel
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Noah’s drunkenness
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Miriam’s racist attitude toward her sister-in-law
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Samson and his dalliances with Delilah
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David and his affair with Bathsheba
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Solomon and his collection of wives and concubines
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Amnon’s rape of Tamar
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Judas’s stealing and betrayal of Christ
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Peter slicing off Malchus’ ear
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Paul and Barnabus sharp disagreement over John Mark
The list goes on and on.
People don’t open the Bible to read stories about perfection – unless reading about Jesus. The Bible instructs on many things – and scripture often includes persons whose lives may or may not display righteousness. Still, we read on. And the Bible remains the best-selling book of all time.
From time to time, though I may have to defend why I’d allow a Christian protagonist to sin willfully, I’ll keep doing it. Brokenness and sin exist in the world, and it touches people. The goal of stories with Christian-based narratives isn’t to show characters being perfect. The goal is to show God moving in and throughout their lives in awesome ways.
So why do I write about sinful people and situations?
Because we’re all sinful, yet God always remains a part of our story.