It is really hard for me not to be encouraged and excited to read just about anything from Max Lucado. In Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make A Difference, Max does not disappoint. He provides a look at the Acts 1-12 in order to get the most out of our life. It reminds me of the concept that I learned from Stephen Covey about what we strive for. To live, love, learn and leave a legacy. It is the leave a legacy part that is what I am reminded about in this book. Will the things that you are doing today make a difference once you are gone.
Max does a great job of weaving in stories and anecdotes to illustrate how to achieve this way of outliving your life. He addresses some of the key concerns of the Acts’ church such as hospitality and dealing with neighbors to how you can deal with issues that rock our world such as dealing with the homeless. What Lucado does is presents this where you feel like you can make a difference that you can do something to achieve this king of “outlive your life.”
Lucado really hits to the core of things. One of the things that I like is the way that he focuses on what it is that we need to do in the world. He points out that we need to see what the need is in others, but that we need to touch the hurt and help to heal it. But he is open an honest when he tells us that we have to recognize that this type of love is one that brings persecution with it and we have to be prepared for it. Making a difference in not easy and Lucado does a good job of paint a realistic picture for us and not trying to sugar coat it. We also need to remember those who Jesus referred to as the least of these of the “Have-Nots” as Max refers to them in the book. These are those folks that we need to stand up for since they generally do not have the ability to do it themselves.
But I think that the most important thing that Lucado talks about is that we need to do good, but quietly. I think that one of the overlooked characteristics of Jesus was His humility. In this case, we need to remember that doing good is done out of who we are and what we believe. Not because we want to it for recognition or anything like that. So do good, then fade into the background. Don’t seek acclaim out of it.
What I really appreciate is that there is a supplement in the back of the book for use in discussion with others and with ideas on how to put words in action. You can even get a supplement guide to go along with it. This book can be used as a personal development growth manual for yourself or even as a group discussion session for small groups or Sunday school classes.
Whatever the case, if you read this, you will be challenged. You will be pushed to think about what are you doing today and is what you are doing today for you or for others. Are you doing for self or to be more like Jesus? Are you there to genuinely help people or to make yourself look good? Regardless Max Lucado provides a roadmap to help you make a difference and out live your life.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
