Sometimes I wonder, Does it matter?
There are so many words written in so many blogs, books, and magazines. The question that haunts me at times is why should I, or anyone for that matter, add to the white noise?
According to one geek site, as of 8:30 a.m. today, there were 1,765,083 blogs already published worldwide. Another source says there are over 150 million blogs on the internet.
There are at least 600,000 new books printed every year in the US alone. Since the average non-fiction book is about 50,000 words, that means there are around thirty billion words published a year, and that doesn’t include magazines.
30,000,000,000 words! Oh. My. Goodness.
I’ve written six books, and I’m ten chapters into my seventh book. And again, sometimes there’s this nagging little voice in the cavernous recesses of my mind asking, Why do you write?
As you might imagine, the facts are discouraging for any writer. However, the “facts” don’t tell the whole story.
Why do I write?
The answer is short and sweet: I write because even one changed life matters. It matters to God. It matters to me.
We live in a world that defines success by the size of your bank account or by the number of Twitter or Instagram followers you have. Best-selling authors and world-class bloggers are successful; everybody else is often considered a pathetic wanna-be.
But maybe, just maybe, God defines success differently.
Perhaps (and I think so), God characterizes significant accomplishment as one person’s obedience leading to even one other person’s eternal transformation.
We tend to measure meaningful impact by a different standard than our Father does. He values the one as much as the many. God knows that even one life redeemed, restored, and renewed matters.
- Okay, you pastor a small church, and you feel like you’re on the backside of nowhere. Has anyone been changed because of your obedience and faithfulness? Of course.
- Yup, you’re a stay-at-home mom who likes to write, but you’re no Ann Voskamp, and only ten people read your last blog. What if just one person reads it tomorrow or twenty years from now and it changes a heart? It can happen.
- You self-published a book, and pretty much the only buyers were your family and friends. But have you left a legacy? Yes, and perhaps your words are a potential future deposit into the soul of your great-great-grandchild.
You might be thinking, These are the words of a failure trying to justify his fruitless endeavors.
I don’t think so.
I suppose it’s possible I’m living in delusion or some make believe world designed to soothe my ego.
However, what value would you place on even one transformed life?
Recently, I received an email from someone I’ve never met who wrote,
Hello, I just finished reading your book, Epic Grace. I know it might be weird emailing you, but I just had to reach out and tell you that this is one of the best books I've ever read! It changed how I see things in my life, and I was honestly so sad when I finished it.
Kind words. I smiled. But Epic Grace is out of print. It didn’t sell enough copies to warrant a reprint. Of course, when it got published by Tyndale four years ago I had great hopes. I prayed it might sell 100,000 copies. In truth, it sold about 96,000 copies less than I wanted.
That fact could be depressing. Or, and I would suggest this is a better perspective, God used my book to change a few lives, and that’s all that truly matters.
Never discount the small, the little, or the seemingly insignificant by this world’s standards.
Never quit because someone else’s church is bigger or someone else’s book sold more than yours. Never give up because you think what you’re doing doesn’t really matter.
It does.
Some are given more than others. Some will be famous; most will not. But when you and I stand before God in heaven, “Well done, good and faithful servant” aren’t words reserved for a select and celebrated few. That’s what our Father will say to you with joy if you stay the course and simply use the gifts He has given to you for the benefit of others.
Even one other person.
You matter and what you create matters because everyone matters to Jesus.
Hi Kurt,
You are so right that you don’t always know whose lives are being touched by your words, it’s about being obedient. I just wanted you to know that when I read Epic Grace, I was so touched by your authenticity and loved the book! Those of us who are fellow recovering idiots and have had less than perfect moments in our life find such comfort in knowing that God offers amazing Epic Grace even when we haven’t always chosen Him. We all fall short and all need God’s Epic Grace, it applies to every one of us. After reading your book I couldn’t stop recommending it to others because your words are powerful and life changing. I have a friend that loved it just as much and gave copies to her children and friends. Your words matter more than you know. You as well as the other leadership at Eastpoint are real, authentic and aren’t afraid to say that you haven’t done it perfectly and have struggles just like the rest of us yet his Grace is sufficient. That changes lives, that draws people in and toward Christ. Your words are changing lives even when you can’t see it! Your blog is a good reminder to us all to be obedient and step up and and speak out as God leads and trust that He will use it for His glory.
Thank you, Jenni! You are loved!
Thank you, Jenni, your kind words mean a lot to me. You are loved!
Thank you Kurt… I strive to remember that we ALL can (and I paraphrase), “use the gifts He has given to you for the benefit of others. Even one other person. You matter and what you create (AND WHAT YOU DO) matters because everyone matters to Jesus.” This is for every person in the kingdom, in everything we do. Some of us are not very creative (we WISH we could write books, or make art, or music, or…), but we all can do for others. Even the smallest act, done with the right heart, can touch others in ways we ourselves may never know. Thank you for helping me to remember that. Be well, my friend.
Kurt,
I like Bob read everything you have written and we were blessed, encouraged, and challenged by your written words!
Today as I read your blog I was brought to tears! I was contemplating that at times it seems like speaking into the lives of couples can be daunting and does it make a difference? During the past few weeks I have been encouraged by many many notes sent to me by couples who lives were changed by being faithful to do what God calls us to. His truth being spoken and written does make huge impacts, we just don’t always see or hear until years later or maybe never in our lifetime! Just what I needed to hear today! Thank you!
Kurt, Thank you once again for writing straight from your heart and telling how it is. Your honesty in pulling off the mask to let us see inside your thoughts helps and encourages. May God richly bless you and use you.
I read everything you write (even the children’s books ) and I am always enriched and rewarded because of it. Thank you for writing, thank you for your wisdom and thank you for being willing to share it with the rest of us!
Hi Kurt, completely agree with you. If God has put it into your heart to write or say something just do it. You may never know who your words actually affected. Just because you don’t see the measurable result you would like in the worldly realm does not mean God is not using something you said to increase another person’s faith and trust in him. It could be one person or a thousand that God is speaking to through you and you will not know until you are out of this mortal, perishable body. I have examples in my own life of someone talking , even on the TV screen, and knowing in my Spirit that they are talking to me or about me, then seeing the event come to pass at a later date.
Kurt, I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve spoken these same words to my own heart regarding my novels. Nope, not the world’s largest bestsellers, but if I’ve influenced one heart, one mind, for God’s purpose, than it is more than worth the effort.
I hope you will look up my books at my website; I will be sure to order one of yours soon!
http://www.gladetrilogy.wix.com/theglade
Blessings!
🙂 You’ve changed me.
Amen!
I’m not writing in this season, but I do see the Lord opening opportunity to share spoken words. I’ve been one of the shy ones.
People seem so ready to receive both the Love and grace of God. I can only say it feels much like the beginning of a harvest. I pray that both your spoken and written words would ignite a fire in many hearts!