Our "Community Group" (i.e. Bible Study) finished up a book tonight. I always have high hopes for new books. This one wasn't great. Mediocrity is nothing less than a plague in Christian bookstores. A friend and I have been encouraging each other to fight that mediocrity in our own writing. In this era of consumer driven manufactured entertainment, a reader has a lot of opportunity to tell publishers what we think. Here's a spot I posted to my Facebook bookshelf:
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This wasn't that. I wanted to know about Humility. Humility is profound, elusive, divine, paradoxical, and miraculous. This book was another generalized lecture on vague "Christian Living." Every chapter was a different subject, with a generalized connection to being humble - being humble while disciplining your children for example, or while trying your best at work.
Perhaps it was the irony that got me: writing about humility is instantly convicting, and yet the author had no problem offering a series of sermons on right living. None of the sermons got to the deep conflicts of the issues, and it cruelly left its readers with more questions than answers.
Critiques are difficult - see chapter 9. Here's my point: If we (Christians) are going to pursue humility as God commands us, let's sort this out! Let's pursue it! What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? What does it mean to lay down your life for your friends? What does it mean to serve your earthly masters? When God commands His people to humble themselves and pray, that their land may be healed, what does He mean? Our people, our nation NEEDS that healing. Our people don't have time for another generalized sermon series like this.
