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Messy Spirituality (2004-06-05 - 8:41 a.m.) Another book review. Messy Spirituality is a small book by the late Michael Yaconelli, who was co-founder of an organization that I knew of many years back, called Youth Specialties. Michael was always a bit off the beaten path, so it comes as no surprise that this book roams down that same path. Messy Spirituality, subtitled "God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People," is a book about just that. Messy spirituality. The description on the inside of the jacket begins, "This book is for messy Christians." I like that. Because I am one of those "messy Christians." And if you are a Christian, whether you want to admit it or not, you are just a bit messy, too. Or, maybe, like me, you are quite a bit messy. The little book (141 pages) is chock full of examples of "messy spirituality" and people whose lives just might not live up to the expectations of all of the "proper Christians" who never do anything wrong. I'm thinking of a church member who once told me that if he ever saw his pastor drinking a beer, he would never be able to worship with him again. What a shame. I have yet to find a passage of Scripture that forbids drinking a beer. I have found passages of Scripture that forbid treating people with disdain and favoritism. This book is all about God's love for us and how we should love one another through our messiness. It's almost as if we should embrace our messiness. Not to approve of it, as in approving of the various sins that we fall prey to, but in that it is just the way we are. We are messy. We will not be perfect. Not until we stand face-to-face with our glorious Savior. We should keep trying to be perfect. But we should stop beating ourselves (and most importantly our brothers and sisters in Christ) up when we fail. Because we will fail. Probably today. Get this book and read it. It will challenge your life. 0 comments so farMissed anything? |