Bestseller Jealousy by Stephen Bly and Podcast

Confession of a Common Use Writer

You never know when the stab of jealousy or envy will hit. I walked into a bookstore and followed my usual pattern. Did they display any of the books I’d written? I managed to find several of my titles crammed into a shelf.

But right out front in a huge display rack I noticed hundreds of books labeled, “#1 bestseller for 3 months!” And a tagline proclaimed, “Over one million copies sold!”

Well, I have to admit I’ve never had one of my books so displayed. Nor received such a tagline. So, I picked up a copy and read several paragraphs. It wasn’t all that good. I could write that well. Really. The first paragraph plastered with weak verbs, boring as mud. A redundant second paragraph followed. I felt like telling the store owner that my latest book certainly deserved a more prominent place than this one.

But as I stood there, six people marched by and purchased copies. In fact, one lady grabbed up four of them. No person on earth, other than my mother, ever purchased four copies of one of my books. My old nature riled up. Jealousy, of course. I didn’t know what I resented more–my lack of a bestselling writing skill or the other author’s possession of it. I caught myself saying, “Lord, why does this guy get all the luck?”

About then, I remembered Paul’s words.

“But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to who has formed it, why did you make me like this? Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” (Romans 9:20,21)

You see, that’s me. I’m a ‘common use’ writer. Maybe you feel that you’re in the same situation. Well, let’s remind ourselves that even common folks like you and me become extremely uncommon whenever we’re used by the Lord God Almighty to accomplish His purpose.

Ultimate Worth

Would you hit the Cancel button on someone else?

Our ultimate value in life never depended on our own skills anyway. We matter because of the majesty of the one to whom we belong. And due to the price He paid for our redemption. In the meantime, we can look at His work in others and rejoice how God receives honor.

Come to think of it, that bestseller book wasn’t too bad. After all, it was the guy’s first try. Can you imagine what the Lord can accomplish when this author really learns how to write?

Stephen Bly

Circa 1988

*Images by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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