Marin at the Well

by H. Linn Murphy

I'm writing a fiction story about Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus as seen through the eyes of a modern seminary student. I'm going to include a note which outlines the fact that I've messed with the story a bit--adding a couple of details about the girls' and Lazarus' life that aren't mentioned in the Bible. I've made Lazarus a merchant so he has a reason to be away so often. I made Mary blind and had Christ heal her, making them avid followers out of sheer gratitude at first. And I also inserted two modern kids into the mix.

I'm wondering how close I have to stay without getting into troubled, sacrilegious waters. This is a book I hope YA (Seminary) kids will enjoy reading and maybe buoy up their testimonies. I know there's a line. I just don't want to tromp over it in my quest to have Marin "be there in the moment" as a modern girl.

Mary and Martha were there for some of the most sacred happenings of Christ's life. I don't want to trample on that, but to reveal how I would have felt in Mary's place. I think it can be a powerful teaching tool if done right.

Any wisdom?