When people learn I’m a writer, I get lots of different reactions. Some are excited and want to learn more. Those are the ones I like. Then there are some who look like I started talking in another language, nod, and walk away. I don’t like those quite as well. And then, there are the others….

You know the type—super intellectuals. They look down their nose and say. “Oh, I don’t read fiction, I only read non-fiction.” As if reading fiction is a bad thing. As if it’s somehow demeaning to read fiction, let alone write it.

I used to let these people bother me—but no more!

Now, I say—if it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.

I recently learned this definition for a parable. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly message. Wow! Isn’t that exactly what writers of Christian Fiction do? We write funny,wonderful, exciting, fascinating stories that have a heavenly message.

In my last book, PURSUED, I had two main heavenly messages. The first was God loves each and every one of us. The second was believers should spread God’s love to others—even it’s in inconvenient and/or dangerous! And in my books, it’s always dangerous!

At times, we might be tempted to say (and believe) that what we do (writing Christian fiction) isn’t all that important in the big scheme of things but…

Where would our Christian faith be without the parable of The Prodigal Son? No other story I know illustrates the depth of God’s love or the fact HE will never turn us away when we come back to him—no matter the circumstances.

Where would our Christian faith be without the parable of The God Samaritan? This story teaches us that God wants us to love one another in a true and meaningful way, not just with words.

Jesus used stories to entertain. Jesus used stories to teach. Jesus used stories to connect with others. Jesus used stories to illustrate a concept. Jesus used stories to elicit emotions from his listeners.

And we as Christian writers should do no less.

And that is why I’m proud to say I am a writer of parables. If it was good enough for Jesus—it’s good enough for me.

If you are a writer, what heavenly message do you put in your books?
If you are a reader, do you enjoy books with a heavenly message or just get on with the story?

To learn more about Lillian Duncan and her writing go to:    www.lillianduncan.net