One of the things that struck me while reading about Ehud is the presence of some rather descriptive violence. And this caused me to ask myself\u2026 how should we portray such things in our stories? I\u2019ve often thought about this before, and I know other writers have wondered the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n It should go without saying that most stories probably will have some<\/em> kind of \u201cviolence,\u201d whether it be a tiny scrape on the knee, a fist fight, or a murder. Some \u201cviolent\u201d things won\u2019t require much of a decision, such as the scraped knee\u2026 hardly any audiences would have a problem with something like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But how do we know how much violence is enough? Well, there are several things to consider when you choose whether or not to include a scene or detail in your story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is obviously the first thing you should be concerned about, no matter what decision you\u2019re making. In Philippians 4:8, it says, \u201cFinally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This verse speaks of what we should fill our minds with\u2014things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. But does this mean that we should never think about things that are evil?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Absolutely not. The Bible is full of warnings against evil, characters who are evil, and, yes, descriptions of evil acts. But there is a limit to this. Whenever the Bible exhibits something evil, it\u2019s for a purpose. Usually, it\u2019s to warn us not to do those things or be like those people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why we can still watch the news and be aware of evil things going on around us. We\u2019re not doing it for entertainment\u2014it has a purpose to warn and inform us. However, there is a limit to the information and details we should seek out about anything evil\u2026 more on this when we get to #4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the story of Ehud, God uses the murder of Eglon to bring deliverance to Israel. The description of this murder is there to show us the baseness and depravity of this world\u2014and even of the leaders whom God appoints\u2014and to point to God\u2019s contrasting justice and perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the first thing you need to ask yourself is if your death scene (or other form of violence) has a purpose. Is it meant to point the characters and audiences to something good? (Good does not always mean cheerful, by the way. There is a time for being serious and somber.) Is it meant to build them up? Does it play a role in leading up to your story\u2019s theme?<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find that the scene, action, or description in question was merely placed there to amuse or entertain your audience, you might want to rethink it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another important factor. While a children\u2019s book may not be the best place to put a murder scene, that same scene could be perfectly acceptable in a YA or adult novel. Some decisions can be easily made when you consider your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the story of Ehud is in the Bible, it was written for every person, of course. There are certain things in the Bible that children probably won\u2019t understand, but some of the more sensitive subjects are told using subtext (we\u2019ll talk more about that once we get to #4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find yourself constantly revising scenes and descriptions because they\u2019re unsuitable for the age group you\u2019re writing for, you may want to change your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay, let\u2019s be honest\u2026 most people would probably at least groan in pain if they got shot in the leg. While this point may seem extremely obvious, it\u2019s surprising how often it\u2019s overlooked by writers who are so focused on keeping the violence to a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, we shouldn\u2019t be overly descriptive, but that doesn\u2019t mean we shouldn\u2019t be realistic. Sometimes, using fewer words is actually more realistic\u2014and that goes for all areas of storytelling, not just when writing violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ehud\u2019s story is definitely realistic in its description\u2026 I mean, how else would you come up with phrasing like, \u201cthe fat close upon the blade,\u201d or, \u201cthe dirt came out\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re struggling with a scene and just can\u2019t get it right, take a moment to step back and imagine your characters as real people. How do they talk? What is their body language like? How about their facial expressions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just always be careful when using your imagination like this\u2026 make sure the scene itself is God-honoring before seeking to make it more realistic. You don\u2019t want to become entangled with the very thing you were trying to prevent your readers from being ensnared in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some things\u2014whether it be details or entire scenes\u2014that people just don\u2019t need to read. Generally, if you\u2019re truly concerned about glorifying God in your fiction, you\u2019ll be able to discern which things should be left out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But how far should you go in describing that death scene? Perhaps you\u2019ve considered the previous points and determined your scene to be fine in and of itself, but you\u2019re not sure where to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Ehud\u2019s story, we see that there is<\/em> description, and some graphic description, at that. But it\u2019s limited. We don\u2019t see Eglon\u2019s terrified face stiffen as Ehud kills him, nor do we get a glimpse of the servants\u2019 horror when they find their master\u2019s gruesome corpse. We get the facts, a few realistic descriptions, and that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Of course, in fiction, you may want to expound a bit on at least the MC\u2019s reaction. But, as far as description goes, you don\u2019t need heaps and heaps of it. A little bit goes a long way.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, as I said in point #3, don\u2019t be overly descriptive. Just as there are some scenes that don\u2019t belong in any book, there are also some details that your audience doesn\u2019t need to read. Subtext is a great way to keep your story from being too graphic, while providing your audience with necessary information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could also skip the entire scene and briefly summarize it later on, which gives you the opportunity to keep description and details from going too far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second thing in Ehud\u2019s story that caught my attention was how Ehud and Israel rebelled against the nation ruling over them. That led me to the question, how should we portray insurrection in our fiction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, generally, insurrection is not a good thing. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 2:17 to \u201chonor the king.\u201d God has placed government over us, whether it be a king or a president, and we ought to respect and obey them. This includes times when we think a decision may not have been wise, or when a certain law inconveniences or irritates us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However<\/em>, there are instances when a law might command us to do something against God\u2019s laws. In these cases, our loyalty to Christ overrides any other loyalties, and we must choose to obey Him first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a country like America, we have the freedom (and responsibility) to hold our leaders accountable. This means we can do things like send letters to representatives, hold peaceful protests, and vote for people we agree with. But what about countries where they do not have these liberties?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this case, we have the example of Daniel, who respectfully but firmly declined to eat food offered to idols, and of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who willingly faced death rather than bow the knee to a graven image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But does this mean that we should never fight back, as Ehud and Israel did in the book of Judges? I don\u2019t believe so. You see, there are examples all over the Bible of people who took up the sword for God. However, this does not give us the liberty to go to war whenever we feel like it. On the contrary, it gives us several things to consider when portraying insurrection in our stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps your characters are leaders of a country or a specific people group. In this instance, it would be perfectly acceptable for them to go to war in defense of their nation. When it comes to political leaders, it\u2019s their duty to defend their country from more than just spiritual enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the case with Ehud, as he was freeing his people from the oppressive Moabites. Ehud was raised up by God, and therefore had the authority to lead the Israelites in a rebellion against King Eglon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a criminal were to break into your house, you probably wouldn\u2019t wonder whether or not it would be okay to hurt him in order to protect your family. In the same way, we should not stand by if people under our care are being attacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So if your Christian MC is fighting back against the government in order to protect the lives and well-being of others, they are right in doing so. It really comes down to the individual to make a decision and to draw a line where they believe it needs to be drawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone may convince themselves that they are fighting for a just cause, but sometimes their reasoning is flawed. They may be doing it for selfish reasons, or perhaps out of anger. When it comes to deciding whether or not to take up arms for a cause, you really need to examine your heart. And, above all else, let the Bible be your guide, not your emotions or opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking into consideration the above points, you should be able to determine how to portray a particular instance of insurrection in your own story. Are any of the involved characters Christians? Are they right in being involved? Is the cause just? Perhaps, as in one of my recently-finished novels, some of the rebels have good motives, while others have evil intents in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, we need to remember the greatest war we should be fighting\u2014the war for souls. Before you portray any insurrection in your story, make sure you have this in mind. Otherwise, it can be all too easy to get caught up in \u201cfighting for justice,\u201d all the while forgetting to spread the message of the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that will wrap it up for today\u2019s post\u2026 I know I haven\u2019t touched on every detail of Ehud\u2019s story, but those were the thoughts that especially caught my attention. We\u2019ll be looking at the story of Deborah in two weeks, so stay tuned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Put any of your questions or thoughts into the comments below!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The story of Ehud can be found in Judges 3:12-30. While Ehud\u2019s narrative may be shorter than some of the others we\u2019ll cover during this series, there are still some important lessons we can learn from it. But first, I would encourage you to read this passage for yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,20],"tags":[31,29,34,36,28,35],"class_list":["post-260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-analyses","category-the-book-of-judges","tag-bible-analyses","tag-christian-writing","tag-ehud","tag-fiction","tag-judges","tag-violence"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=260"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":382,"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260\/revisions\/382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianwriter.blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}