A Loving Life: In a World of Broken Relationships Author: | Language: English | ISBN:
B00IB2YWCQ | Format: PDF
A Loving Life: In a World of Broken Relationships Description
Having successfully helped listeners develop a solid prayer life with the best-selling release of A Praying Life, author Paul Miller applies his expertise to tackle an even more important issue - love. After all, love is what holds all things together, it?s what we?re looking for, it?s what we all need, and it?s what we must learn how to give. But loving people is hard. Our neighbors, friends, kids, spouses, and even our enemies require a relentless, self-giving demonstration of love that only God can produce within us.
Taking his cues from the perseverance and faithfulness portrayed in the book of Ruth, Miller sheds light on a biblical portrait of love that is sure to give us hope and transform our souls. Here is the help we need to embrace relationship, endure rejection, cultivate community, and reach out to even the most unlovable as we discover the power to live a loving life.
- Audible Audio Edition
- Listening Length: 5 hours and 40 minutes
- Program Type: Audiobook
- Version: Unabridged
- Publisher: christianaudio.com
- Audible.com Release Date: February 7, 2014
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00IB2YWCQ
When I was offered this book to review, I was excited. I have read Miller's previous book, A Praying Life, twice and highly recommend it as a practical guide on prayer.
But as much as it grieves me I had to really force myself to finish the book. Others might not be as irritated as I was, but it seemed to hit all of my major issues with Christian Living books. First, it attempts to use historical research and language study to try and establish authority and background on the book of Ruth. I am not opposed to this, strongly support this. But Miller seems to spend more time reading modern culture back onto the book of Ruth than using historical research to illuminate us modern readers. And his lack of academic skills shows through. This is reminiscent of a pastor that has a read a lot of commentaries and taken a few hebrew words and cultural concepts and pulled far more out of them than what is really warranted.
Second, Miller repeatedly over simplifies problems, which then leads to overly simplified answers. One good example: "Our modern age creates categories...and then traps people in them. For instance if we label 2 year olds with 'Terrible twos' then they are no longer responsible. So when they lose their tempers they are just exhibiting the 'terrible twos' instead of sin in need of discipline. Labeling returns us to the rigid world of paganism which freezes everyone into a category, ethnic group, occupation or social status."
Here I think is a good example of how he should have used the word stereotype instead of category, and not created a straw man argument. I agree that we can lock people into behaviors or statuses that are inappropriate for them.
In Paul Miller's follow-up book to "A Praying Life," he illuminates the costly and redeeming nature of love. His description of love wraps itself in humility, death-to-self, and serious commitment to follow-through in the harshest of circumstances. This counter-intuitive and costly type of love is described by the word "hesed," and encapsulated in the lives of Naomi and Ruth.
Through stories and anecdotes that convey his own experiences with the resurrective and redemptive qualities of Biblical love--including his experiences with his disabled daughter, Kim, Paul paints a compelling picture of the type of life we can expect to live when we encounter and participate in authentic love. When we, in effect, die to ourselves to live what Miller likes to call "the story" in his previous book.
What is truly engaging about Miller's book is the level of detail he is able to achieve, while simultaneously engaging the reader and incorporating an easy reading style. After reading Miller's previous book, A Praying Life, I had come to expect that A Loving Life would ask the hard questions and refuse to flinch away from the depth of the Bible's teachings.
This was true of this book. Unlike other popular Christian books self-help books today, which often seem to "insert-Bible-verse-here" and then go on to describe the author's opinions on becoming a better Christian, this book takes the Christian call to discipleship seriously and refuses to ignore the pain inherent in that calling. At points, heart-wrenching and reminiscent of real life--full of the valleys of suffering that characterize the life of a Christian--Miller always allows for the hope that is in Christ alone.
Don't read this book if you aren't interested in an encounter with the Christ of the Scripture.
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