Be diligent to grow your faith. The graciousness of the Lord will grow as you gain knowledge of him. Practice self-control to protect yourself while you persevere under trial, which produces your godly character. Love your brothers and sisters in the Lord, and you will love all people — 2 Peter 1:5–7 (King Jimmy Translation)
“Layer it on Me”
Some readers ask your humble Aggie scribe where he gets these off-the-wall stories. “Do you ever have writer’s block?” “Where do your ideas come from?”
When a story idea evades me, I practice a writing exercise using writing prompts, which is a statement upon which to build a story. Then I do what is called “layering,” which adds tidbits of information, drawing the reader into the story.
At a recent writing clinic, we practiced our creativity using a prompt. Here are some examples of writing prompts.
- “I didn’t expect to see you here. Either you have great nerve or you’re a fool.”
- Well, that’s a change. She’s smiling today. Did they finally meet?
- “Don’t go,” she said. “It’s not safe.”
- “The choice is yours, Mitch,” President Trump said. “Either pull the trigger on healthcare reform or pull my finger.” (I made that one up.)
I chose this prompt: “Don’t go,” she said. “It’s not safe.”
Reading the phone book is more interesting. Let’s add a layer.
Layer One.
“Don’t go, Margo.” Lisa grabbed his arm. “Those people are dangerous.”
Margo and Lisa are introduced. Lisa’s tone suggests Margo faces danger. The reader asks who are these people and why are they dangerous. Add a layer.
Layer Two
“Don’t go, Margo.” Lisa grabbed his wounded arm. “They’re dangerous. That Oklahoma family puts mayonnaise on hot dogs.”
How did Margo hurt his arm? The danger is revealed—an Oklahoma family lacking culinary tact.
Layer Three
“Don’t go, Margo.” Lisa grabbed his wounded arm. “Them Okies put mayonnaise on hot dogs. She watches Oprah and doesn’t cook with cumin either.”
“Leave me alone, Lisa,” Margo said. A bobble-head doll fell out of his pocket when he pulled away. A sharp pain shot though his shoulder, but the hurt wasn’t as bad as the bikini-wax he needed for his job. “I’ve got to see her again, or I’ll never forgive myself.”
What is driving Margo to flirt with apparent danger? Is it love? Revenge? Hunger? What kind of job requires a bikini wax? And who cooks without cumin? #SMH
Layer Four
“Don’t go, Margo.” Lisa grabbed his wounded arm. “Them Okies eat hot dogs on wheat buns with mayonnaise. She writes book reviews for Oprah’s Book Club, and she thinks cumin causes morning sickness.”
The storms raged, battering the house with hail and driving rain. He struggled to put on his raincoat with his good arm.
“Don’t stop me, Lisa.” As he pulled away, a bobble-head doll fell from his raincoat.
“What’s this?” she said. “How much did it cost?”
A sharp pain shot up his shoulder, although it wasn’t as bad as the bikini wax required for his job as the stand-in double for Benny Hinn. His arm injury was a freak accident. When he “waved” at a group of followers to fall over, he struck and overturned the table of Benny Hinn bobble-head healing dolls. But the excruciating pain paled to the storm raging in his wounded heart. “I’ve gotta see her again. I must know if it’s my fault she hates cumin.
***
You get the picture how this writing exercise works. It starts simple, and then as elements are added, the story takes a life of its own.
Our salvation uses layering as well. After coming to Jesus for salvation, we need lots of work to transform us into his image. Simon Peter, the former professional-fisherman-turned-preacher, knew this truth well. Like Pete, we had rough edges that need sanding. He wrote in his second letter: “Make every effort to add to your faith . . .”
Add a layer.
“Make every effort to add to your faith graciousness.” Because God’s grace forgave and redeemed us, he helps us share this grace in abstract ways like kindness, gentleness, forgiveness.
Add a layer.
“. . . to your faith, graciousness; to graciousness, knowledge.”
God didn’t hide from us. He reveals himself in nature. He puts within every man a desire to know him. He gives us his word—the Bible—and his Holy Spirit to live within us, who teaches us everything God did for us through Jesus.
We’re ready for another layer.
“. . . to knowledge, self-control.
The first two layers support our improved behavior—self-control. Christ dethroned our sinful nature when he regenerated our spirits, but our souls haven’t caught up with the new boss who rules our hearts. As ferociously as our sinful nature fights against the work of the Holy Spirit within us, our new behavior becomes more Christlikeness.
We ain’t through yet.
“. . . to self-control, perseverance.
Jesus said we’re in this battle until the end. The Holy Spirit helps us endure the trials and problems that Jesus promised would come. God is good, but life is unfair. With God’s help, we grow in grace as we “run our race.”
Need another layer.
“. . . to perseverance, godliness.
Godliness, or piety, becomes a by-product the longer we run our race, seeking God’s will for our lives. This leads to our next layer—mutual affection.
“. . . to godliness, mutual affection.
As Christ-followers, we’re bonded to those who share the same faith and submit to the same Lord Jesus Christ. We love our brothers and sisters in Christ since we share a similar journey of faith.
This leads to the ultimate layer:
“. . . to mutual affection, love.
God’s love in us. Love for the lost, the outcasts, the misfits, the broken, those who hate us because of our faith—loving others as Christ loves them.
Oh, Lord. We may be the only Jesus that people see. May we evolve more into your character to draw people to you.
Stay close to Jesus.
Jimmy
P.S. Lisa broke into uncontrollable sobbing. “Please, Margo. Please don’t go.″
Margo slammed the door and walked into the dark, rainy night.
“Wait, Margo.” Lisa yelled. “You forgot the mayonnaise.”
Jimmy Eskew © 2017
THANKFUL 
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