Digging deep.

I have been working on some short stories as a book compilation. I know short stories aren't really the 'thing', at least when it comes to book sales - they're a little like poetry with a narrower audience, but the idea came to me one day when I was thinking of Malchus from the Bible. His name is mentioned only once, though the story is told more than once in the Bible.

You may remember it. Jesus has just finished praying at the Garden of Gethsemane when he is approached by a multitude - one of them being Malchus. There was Judas, of course, one of the twelve who betrayed Jesus with a kiss. As you may know, one of the disciples "smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear" (Luke 22:50). 

How did Malchus feel about the healing? Was this the first time he'd seen Jesus? Probably not. He was a servant of a high priest, maybe even the servant of Caiaphas. He would have seen some things near the temple. He may have even listened at the temple. If so, what effect would listening at the doors mean to him later when he was healed?

I had so many questions, not many answers, but it seemed to me the answers were there. In a matter of a week, I had the first draft done. I sent it off to two readers with positive results. 

One of them said, "I loved the story. Your style is very reflective, with the narrator and key actors in contemplation. I wish that I could write like you!"

The other reader wondered if I should change the name of Jesus Christ to Messiah because that is how he was known in those times. A keen observation. I made the change.

I am now working on the second story. It is about the widow of Nain whose son was raised from the dead. We don't even know the widow's name in this story, though her son was probably about twenty and she was more than likely middle-aged, probably somewhere in her mid to late 30s. 

Why would Christ come all the way from Capernaum for a woman and her son? He probably had to walk all night to reach the widow at just the right time the next morning. Not to mention that Nain is about 30 miles southwest of Capernaum and the journey is an uphill climb... 

Being at home so much I've had more time to reflect on things. What are the priorities of my life? Is what I do a reflection of my priorities? What do I want to weed out of my life that really isn't important? What do I want to plant?

I'm digging deep.