2020: Book #24

Challenging.
Convicting.
Like water to a parched soul.
Life changing.

That’s how I would describe Scott Sauls’ book, “A Gentle Answer: Our Secret Weapon in an Age of Us Against Them.”

This book has changed me, hopefully for a long time.

Here are a few quotes that impacted me:

“…we prefer to preach an angry “gospel” about whatever we have decided to stand against. We warm ourselves next to the fire of digital hashtags, ideologically slanted newsfeeds, political slogans, and religious doctrines, and then…ready, aim, fire! For the more popular voices among us, this can also become a great way to build a platform, gain followers and fans, and earn some cash.
Outrage sells.
For our generation, hate has been commodified. It has been turned into an asset.” (pg.xxiii)

“Jesus is a God of reconciliation and peace, not a God of hate or division or us-against-them.” (pg.xviii)

In being slow to anger through a spirit of meekness, we express the image of God in us, who, being both perfectly righteous and the universe’s chief offended party, “forgives all [our] iniquity” and “crowns [us] with steadfast love and mercy” and “is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps. 103:3-4, 8).  If God’s default response to human offense is to be slow in his anger – even the righteous kind – how much more should this be true of us, even when expressions of righteous anger may be entirely justified?” – (pg. xx)

And there’s more.
So very much more.

Read this book, but read it slowly.

Allow it to sink to your bones.
This book needs to be read by every single Jesus follower.
Not just read, but embraced, believed and lived.

I give it 5 stars out of a possible 5.

That’s book #24 for 2020.

28 more to go.

Leaders are readers.

If you want to be a better leader…be a reader.

#52in2020