You’re Worth It

Image Credit: Xavier/PhotopinCC

I knew an acquaintance who was rough around the edges. She lacked social graces and wasn’t adept at making or keeping friends.

Often, I wanted to put my hands on her shoulders, look her dead in the eye, and just say Stop pushing people away. You have potential. You’re worth it!

Cassie* had a difficult life and after college I lost track of her. (Sadly, I learned a few years ago that she’d passed away.) Although I tried to do what I could, I always regretted not doing more to help Cassie.

I rationalized my limited involvement like this:

We shared some classes, but we had little else in common. Our personalities differed, as did our backgrounds.

Cassie refused to change or seek professional help. Because of family issues and suspected abuse, I knew I wasn’t equipped at the time to deal with her problems.

For every step forward, she took two back. Meaning—positive life changes were short-lived and her other choices weren’t the best.

Being Cassie’s acquaintance, friend, or anything else demanded significant time, attention, and effort. After spending mere minutes with her, the emotional drain lingered for hours.

Looking back, I realize our youth played a huge role in how I handled my relationship with Cassie. Now, many years later there are things I would do differently, but as a naïve college kid I relied on gut instinct and prayer.

Today, if faced with a “Cassie” in my life I’d still pray for her, of course, but I’d also be more insistent she pursue professional help.

I’d practice tough love mingled with encouragement.

I’d tell her (aloud) she’s worth it and her dreams are, too.

And I’d implore her not to give up, give in, or settle for second best.

As I write, I often do so with folks like Cassie in mind. I imagine the blemished, the broken, and the discards of society. I envision characters at their worst and God at His best.

As I craft my stories, I think of the toughest scenarios possible and kick those up a notch—just like real life.

Then—boom—the bottom drops out when least expected.

(This seemed to be the case with Cassie a lot.)

Real life and make-believe intersect in distinct, but similar, fashions. Maybe we can’t always control the outcome of one, but we can influence lives in a very real way (a positive, godly way) with the other. For Christian fiction writers, that’s possibly the greatest thrill of our craft.

To know our words carry weight and may actually change the course of a life is an extraordinary feeling. And with it comes a sense of tremendous responsibility.

I pray the message through my stories is always You’re Worth It.

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(*Not her real name.)

How do you show others they’re worth it?

If you write, what’s your message to your readers?

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This message we communicate in real life flows over to our fictional characters. (Click to Tweet)

Blessings Always,