It's Not About You (At Least It Shouldn't Be)

by James L. Rubart

I wasn't excited about waking up at 6:30 am late last November. (Not a morning person.)

But I had an interview with a Florida radio station for my novel, The Five Times I Met Myself. 

I figured I'd get up at 6:30, get some wake up juice in me and be ready to go by 7:30 when I would be on. 

Didn't figure I'd be woken up at six from a call from my publicist asking if I could do the interview a half hour earlier. (The person at the station who scheduled the interviews had screwed up.)

But there I was, on hold, waiting to go on. The on air team didn't think I could hear them. I could.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Huh?"

"Why can't she figure out how to schedule our interviews. She's always messing it up."

"I hear you."

"Like this one right now. He's on the west coast, not fun to have to wake up and get pumped up to be on air half an hour earlier than he thought. I mean, he's just an author ... but still."

" ... just an author ..."

I cracked up. Too funny and what a great way to be reminded that this author thing isn't that big a deal. In fact, nothing is that big a deal. Author, actor, musician, restaurant owner, receptionist, waiter, teacher ... 

If we're surrendered to Jesus, it doesn't matter what role we're in. It's not about us, it's about him.

True Confession

If I'd been on that call five years ago? It would have irritated me. Why? Because I was still trying to get my validation from man rather than God. I was basing my worth on how much respect I received for who I was and what I'd accomplished. 

Won't work. 

If we're writing to gain fame, respect, validation, praise ... we're on the wide road.

The narrow road is the only one that leads to life.

Let's take that one, yes?

James L. Rubart is 28 years old, but lives trapped inside an older man's body. He's the bestselling, Christy award winning writer of eight novels and lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington. More at www.jameslrubart.com