I got Max Lucado’s newest release based on the title alone. Out Live Your Life sounded like the Prayer of Jabez meets Matthew 24, a great premise. One page into the book, I knew I was not going to be disappointed. If we only get one shot at this, how would we like to be remembered? For what we did? Or what we didn’t do? In order to outlive our life, we need to do something that will reverberate through out time.
You could win the Nobel Peace Prize. You could invent the cure for cancer. But most of us already know, we aren’t batting in that league. We’d be lucky to be in the stadium watching that game. We are just ordinary people living ordinary lives. What can we do?
I’m reminded of a passage in the Matthew 24:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Small acts, but they make a difference to those for whom we do them.
I for one recognize that I have been trying to get the biggest bang for my contributions. While searching for those with more grandeur, I may have overlook the obvious. Not everyone can build a neighborhood of homes, or even one home for those needing shelter. But we could contribute a few hours, a weekend of a few days working with Habitat for Humanity. Each one of us has many opportunities that we were designed to accomplish.
It’s the simple contributions that make the big differences. Consider Albert Mc Makin. A simple farmer leading an ordinary life. You may never have heard of him. But he’s touched hundreds of thousands of lives. He’s the one who invited Billy Graham to a revival where Mordecai Ham spoke.
Most of us aren’t going to be Billy Graham, but a lot more of us could be like Albert. Max outlines in his book, simple steps each of us can consider taking. It really brought the message home when I discovered that Max is donating 100% of his profits from Out Live Your Life products to World Vision. The back of the book contains a study guide that would be useful in a group setting.
If you want to make a difference, I recommend this book to get you thinking in directions that will help you out live your life.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com http://booksneeze.com/ book review bloggers 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
