Post by denise on Jul 16, 2006 22:15:55 GMT -5
Book of the Week:
Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne:
I read this book several weeks ago and found it to be very challenging, not in the way it was written but the subject matter. Shane Claiborne was a college student who was searching for a way to reach those less fortunate. Upon his introduction to the homeless community his life was changed. This book although not necessarily an autobiography, is a glimpse into Claiborne's life and the community he started, The Simple Way. He visited Mother Teresa in India and homeless communities throughout the United States. He decided that to fully follow Jesus you must go where He would go. He developed The Simple Way as a community of believers committed to sharing the gospel and also themselves. As I read the book I realized that what he advocated was very radical for most people and that most would look at his life and say, "it takes a special kind of person to do what he does". As I read it I too had those thoughts but then I began to think of the way we live. Our lives are not as radical as his but we have similar attitudes, sharing our resources and our lives with others, being open and honest with a community of believers. In this way of thinking then we can look at his book and begin to see the teaching of Jesus lived out in our own lives. When you loan a lawn mower to a neighbor, share a snow-blower, loan a car, take a meal to a sick friend, give money to someone in need, buy a coat for someone who is cold, you are living out your belief. I think sometimes we read books like Irresistible Revolution and think this life is OK for some but I would never want to live that way, when in fact we can and do live that way in a sense. Although we may never give up everything and go live in an intentional communityafter reading this book, we may re-evaluate our lives and see where we can begin to follow Jesus more closely and that will change our focus.
Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne:
I read this book several weeks ago and found it to be very challenging, not in the way it was written but the subject matter. Shane Claiborne was a college student who was searching for a way to reach those less fortunate. Upon his introduction to the homeless community his life was changed. This book although not necessarily an autobiography, is a glimpse into Claiborne's life and the community he started, The Simple Way. He visited Mother Teresa in India and homeless communities throughout the United States. He decided that to fully follow Jesus you must go where He would go. He developed The Simple Way as a community of believers committed to sharing the gospel and also themselves. As I read the book I realized that what he advocated was very radical for most people and that most would look at his life and say, "it takes a special kind of person to do what he does". As I read it I too had those thoughts but then I began to think of the way we live. Our lives are not as radical as his but we have similar attitudes, sharing our resources and our lives with others, being open and honest with a community of believers. In this way of thinking then we can look at his book and begin to see the teaching of Jesus lived out in our own lives. When you loan a lawn mower to a neighbor, share a snow-blower, loan a car, take a meal to a sick friend, give money to someone in need, buy a coat for someone who is cold, you are living out your belief. I think sometimes we read books like Irresistible Revolution and think this life is OK for some but I would never want to live that way, when in fact we can and do live that way in a sense. Although we may never give up everything and go live in an intentional communityafter reading this book, we may re-evaluate our lives and see where we can begin to follow Jesus more closely and that will change our focus.