Good and Evil

The latest book in the Bayou Beni series, "Merciful Blessings" includes a character struggling with drug addiction, another character suffering in a domestic violence situation, and some background characters (unnamed) who supply drugs and commit violence.

Because we are in Bayou Beni, I can get the background characters arrested, remove the character from the domestic violence situation, and get the addict the help they need.  And if I were queen of the universe, that is how it would work in the real world too.

Writing my stories challenges me in so many ways.  In this particular book, I'm challenged to live up to what I believe.  Here's the passage from the book:

“And that is how it happens. People mostly don’t turn away from God and good in an instant. It is a path they get on and keep traveling further away from God and good. The most important thing to remember is God is always trying to get them back. To invite them back into a loving relationship with Him, and to doing good instead of bad things.

“That is why we are called to pray for everyone. To pray that they turn back to God and to doing good in His name.”

“So no one is really bad, Sister Dorothy?” asked Michelle.

“That’s right, Michelle. Because we are all made in the image and likeness of God, and we all have salvation available to us. We can choose to do bad things, but God is always waiting for us to turn back to Him, to be sorry for the things we have done that hurt God and others, and to do good.”

I wrote it, so obviously, I believe it.  But it can be such a hard concept to live up to.  In some ways, life would be easier if we could discard people as just bad.  But my Christianity demands that I recognize all people as children of God, and made in His image and likeness.

While I am writing this book, my prayers will focus on praying for people to turn back to God and to good.  That should be part of my prayer life always, but sometimes it falls off the list.

Another reason I have to keep writing my books.  My characters are consistently encouraging each other to be their best selves, and they keep reminding me to be my best self too.