Of all the Christian living books I’ve read, and I’ve read a lot of them, Love Does by Bob Goff is the most lighthearted, entertaining, and refreshing. It is a weaving of humorous life stories with spiritual principles he’s learned along the way. He makes you think, but in a way that inspires you to change rather than condemn you for the way you are.
What It’s Not
At first I was a little taken aback by the lack of Christianese. A person who has never seen a Bible or stepped foot in a church could read Love Does and understand every word. I realized quickly that this strips the religion out of the subject, and that is a wonderful thing when you are talking about being like Jesus.
The lack of religiosity also supports his premise that love is an action, not a feeling or an idea. If we love someone, we will do everything we can to make them happy and ensure their well being. Just reading all about a person does not put us in relationship with that person. We must interact with them and serve them.
What It Is
But what does that mean when we talk about loving Jesus? According to Bob, don’t just read and memorize Scripture—you do what it says. When it says to love your neighbor, you actually leave your house and go to where they are. You listen to them, interact with them, and help them however you can. When a stranger you just met wants to propose to his girlfriend on your porch, you provide the dinner music. If children are unjustly imprisoned in Uganda, and you’re a lawyer like Bob, you use your gifts to set them free. When God blesses you with material gifts, you use your excess to give to the poor. If your friend is dying, you make sure they have one last memory-making caper before they go.
The whole point of Love Does is DOING whatever you need to do to be Jesus to that person in that moment. Love doesn’t wait. It doesn’t write up a pro’s and con’s sheet. Love does what is in its power to do.
Of course, Bob says it much better than I can. He’s a pretty funny guy. And his life backs up his words. Pick up a copy of Love Does and discover for yourself “a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world.”
Thank you for stopping by! To receive email reminders of new posts, please subscribe. As a thank you, you will receive a free ebook, The Wonder Woman’s Manifesto.
*affiliate links used above