Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

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There are two ambrosial things I think are notable about this book: All of the proceeds go to World Vision and, in my opinion, this is the best book Max Lucado has ever written.
Outlive Your Life is a challenge to quit turning your head when you see someone in need. We have been cloaked in this idea that we don't have to help anybody because we cannot help everybody. This truth is that we pass by and pass up Jesus on the streets, in foreign lands, and in our own families. We refuse to serve him. Max reminds us that what we do to the least of these, we do to Christ.
I loved this book. I think for the most part, we go through our daily lives and never truly connect with anyone. Nobody looks you in the eye anymore. I often feel like screaming that the people we see every day are wounded and we do not care to notice. Please notice.
There were so many amazing stories in this book, but one spoke to me on a personal level. Max tells the story of a time when he and another man were in a church and a drifter showed up. As he was telling the story, Max is getting irritated at the guy and just knows he is lying. His friend did not react the same way. He stared at the drifter with intensity. He fed him and gave him food to take with him. Max was stopped in his tracks wondering "How long since anyone looked this fellow square in the face?" 

"There is something fundamentally good about taking time to see a person."

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
©stephaniecherry.com

Comments

maggie may said…
we have been discussing this in the bible study we're doing for the church plant we're helping with. it's so convicting. i have tunnel vision and who am i passing by?
3:25 PM
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