I've been doing a lot of thinking lately (there are plenty of things currently happening in our world that would encourage one to stop and think), and because I've been doing a lot of thinking, I haven't been doing a lot of writing. I've been the busiest of bees with work (anyone who has messaged or talked to me in the past few weeks can attest to that), but I've also been trying to sort through things I've had on my mind lately. And the two things I've been thinking about the most have taken forever to formulate into coherent sentences, so I do apologize for the radio silence. This post is about one of those things. The more challenging of the two will come next.
Recently, I finished reading the book Love Wins by Rob Bell. I've owned this book for years, but, like a lot of books in my personal library, I had never gotten around to reading it. It actually came up in a conversation two months ago, which is why I decided to finally read it. If you're a Christian reading this, chances are you know there's been a lot of controversy surrounding this book. For those of you who haven't heard of this book before, the subtitle reads "A book about heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived." In this book, Rob challenges the ideas of heaven and hell while discussing the wonders of the Good News and how love ultimately wins because of that news.
In high school, I was part of a Bible study with some friends, and we watched Rob's NOOMA video series. I loved those videos because they were compelling. They encouraged me to think about the Bible and my faith in new and exciting (yet challenging) ways. Because I had a good history with Rob, I decided to give Love Wins a shot. And when I learned that Christians have responded quite negatively to it, I knew that reading it was essential.
Slight aside: I've learned a lot from Peter since we've been together, but one thing he has taught me that I especially appreciate is to draw my own conclusions instead of basing my opinions on what others say/think (a bad habit that has taken a while to shake). He is perpetually fact-checking and conducting his own research and encouraging people to have an open mind when it comes to interacting with others who may have opposing views, and I truly admire him for it. Adopting this approach when dabbling with new (and old) ideas has been fundamental in my personal growth as of late, including my spiritual growth. So Peter is actually a big reason why I decided to read Love Wins for myself instead of relying on the reviews of other Christians. And I'm glad I did.
I won't lie - some of the concepts Rob brought to light were really hard for me to swallow. They went against almost everything I believed growing up and almost everything I still believed. Regardless of whether or not I agreed with what was written, more than anything, this book taught me some of the flaws I personally have as a Christian. Rob shares some interesting and quite radical ideas about heaven and hell, but as he does so, he never fails to remind his readers of the unchanging character of God.
In one chapter in particular, he discusses the parable Jesus shares of the prodigal son in the gospel of Luke, one that was meant to give people a glimpse of God's character. Allow me to summarize it for you. A man has two sons. One day, the younger son asks for his share of his inheritance. The father gives it to him, and the younger son runs away and squanders his wealth. Hungry and homeless, he realizes he's made a huge mistake and decides to return home, admit his wrongs to his father, and ask him to take him on as one of his servants because he feels he is no longer worthy of the title of "son." When the younger son is just visible from the house, the father runs out to greet him, embracing him. The younger son tries to say his piece, but the father tells his servants to dress him and prepare a party in his honor because while he was once dead, he is alive again, and while he was once lost, he is now found. The older brother hears about the festivities and can't believe his father is actually celebrating his younger brother's return after all he has done. The older brother yells at his father from outside of the party. He says he has never disobeyed his father but was never rewarded the way his sinful younger brother is now being celebrated. The father gently reminds the older brother that he was always there and always had access to what belonged to the father. The parable ends with the father reiterating the fact that a celebration is in order because the young brother was dead and is now alive, was lost and is now found.
I grew up knowing this story very well, and in college, I started hearing sermons that challenged listeners to think about which brother we identified as. At one point, I remember very distinctly thinking I was the younger brother because there came a time in my life when I didn't think I deserved God's love in the slightest. However, besides at that point, I didn't feel like I identified with either brother. While reading Love Wins, I discovered the shocking truth: I'm the older brother. I'm the one who has a hard time celebrating with others because I'm too busy thinking about myself and my just desserts. I'm the one who thinks about how I've tried to live my life in a way that has been glorifying to God but doesn't like the idea of people getting a free pass into heaven after Judgment Day. What a horrible yet humbling thing to learn about myself. And what a great reminder of how desperately I need God, as much as the next person.
I am not perfect, and this book reminded me just how imperfect I am. However, this book also reminded me how much hope there is to be had. I am a work in progress, but every day, I am striving to be better. To be more like Him. And what has been made clear to me recently is that I need to start by loving more like Him.
As he has done in the past, above all else, Rob taught me once again to think about the Bible and my faith in new and exciting (yet now TRULY challenging) ways. And that is why I'm glad I read Love Wins.
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