It’s not about me

Whilst to many on this side of the Atlantic Max Lucado may be an unknown, but with thirty other titles in print he is obviously a very popular writer. It is likely that this book will also appeal to the many who have bought and read his previous volumes.

What is his appeal? In this book, Max Lucado writes simply and pointedly about the philosophy of the age and its detrimental effect upon the spiritual lives of believers. The thrust of his argument is that as long as the world peddles the ideas of self-promotion, self-preservation, and self-centredness we are naïve if we think we can remain untouched. Using examples from his experience and from scripture the author addresses the real purpose that each of us must fulfill if our lives are to be useful for God.

Max Lucado tackles his subject well. In many ways this is a challenging book to read. However, for this reviewer the author’s extended use of a multiplicity of translations and paraphrases of the scripture was, at best, distracting and, at worst, legitimizing of versions that are inaccurate and misleading. It is not always clear why the author deems this use of translations to be necessary. There are times too when his desire for simplicity and appeal means that he handles issues relating to divine Persons with a familiarity that is irreverent and dishonouring. For these reasons this is not a book that could be recommended without due regard to these reservations.