Book Review: Bold as Love by Bob Roberts, Jr.

Bold as Love 

By Bob Roberts, Jr.

This book really blew me away.  If you don’t like to be challenged, this book is not for you.  It reminds us, or teaches us depending on where you are in life, what loving like Jesus is all about.   It will show you how love can be hard and scary but possible with God.  I’m going to quote from the book in this review because there were so many nuggets of wisdom within its pages that I just have to share some of my favorites. 

“It’s time for us to learn to live our faith in public.  To do that, we must overcome our fears.”  I am blessed to know quite a few people who live their faith in public.  But sometimes I wonder if I am and I know the fears that I need to overcome are the fears of rejection and confrontation.  But as you read Bold as Love you’ll find that sharing your faith doesn’t need to be confrontational – and if you start with serving, sharing can come easier after the trust is there.  The author also reminds us that sharing our faith can be done “in a polite way”.  “I believe that Jesus really is the only way to God.  But that doesn’t mean I’m better than anyone else or that this gives me a right to be arrogant.  Truth is wrapped in boldness, but with humility, not arrogance or hate.”  I love that. 

Bold as Love does stress the relationship between Christians and Muslims.  And the author and his church strive for a relationship with their Muslim neighbors to make friendships and understand each other, even though they do not have the same beliefs.  While reading about this I learned about “multifaith” - different faiths coming together to achieve goals.  I have to say that multifaith is much more palatable than interfaith, which to me sounds like we’re all going to try to blend together.  That doesn’t work for me.  I can’t agree that Jesus is God and also that he’s just a good teacher or a prophet.  And I’m not going to give up my belief to be agreeable.  The author writes, “Multifaith not only respects but encourages religious people to say exactly what they believe, no matter how stark the differences.  But it encourages them to do so in the spirit of peace.”   I know this can sound scary, but if you read all the stories that the author brings from his life, you’ll see that it can work.  And you’ll be challenged to try it yourself.

I would strongly recommend this book.  It will make you think about things differently than you have before.  It will bring up ideas that are new to you.  At least it did for me.  I could discuss this book further, but I don’t want to write a book about the book – just get Bold as Love and read it.  You won’t regret it.