Everybody Always
Apr 18, 2023
Everybody Always by Bob Goff
Simple, Not Easy
Bob Goff does an incredible job of sharing the importance of seeking to make our faith simple even though it isn’t easy, in Everybody Always.
A good example of this is found in chapter 3,
“What is simple often isn’t easy. What is easy often doesn’t last. It was a lawyer, like me, who tried to set up Jesus. This lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. I think he was looking for a plan but Jesus told him about his purpose instead. He said, it was to love God with all his heart, and soul, and mind. Then in the next breath, Jesus gave the lawyer some unsolicited but practical advice. Jesus told him he should love his neighbors just like he loved himself. Sometimes we see these as two separate ideas, but Jesus saw loving God and loving our neighbors as one inseparable mandate. They were tied for first in Jesus’ mind. I think Jesus said these things because He knew we couldn’t love God, if we don’t love the people he surrounds us with. Simply put we can stop waiting for a plan and just go love everybody. There is no school to learn to love our neighbor, just the house next door.
Throughout this fantastic book Goff reminds us that through powerful and often funny stories, that loving people is loving God in action.
Identity, not Behavior
One of the ways Goff teaches us to love our neighbor is found in chapter 4. He calls us to remind the people in our lives of who they are in God rather than trying to control how they behave. I have found this true in my own life.
When people tell me I have to do something, I recoil and get defensive. When people remind me of who I am, specifically who I am in Jesus, I want to strive to live in that identity.
Goff creates a distinction between faith and compliance as being rooted in who someone is rather than what they should want or do.
Life, not Ministry
Another wonderful point that Bob Goff makes is found in chapter 8. He says,
“We don’t need to call everything we do ministry anymore either. Just call it Tuesday. That’s what people who are becoming love do.”
Faith and ministry do not need to be separated out into some “other” part of our life.
Faith and Ministry are everyday actions taken by people seeking to live and love like Jesus.
Overpour, not Checklist
Goff also challenges us, in chapter 8, to rethink how we share about Jesus.
He shared that if he kept track of how many times he spoke positively about his wife, “Sweet Maria,” “wouldn’t be evidence of a good marriage but a wacked relationship.”
However, that is what we often do with Jesus, we keep track of how often we tell people about Jesus instead of being so passionate about Him that it comes out in our everyday conversation.
Are you keeping track of sharing the Gospel as something that needs to be done or are you actually passionate about Jesus and want to share what your relationship with Him looks like.
So Much More
Everybody Always has so much to offer believers who are wanting to practically live out our faith.
I hope you get this book, and you are empowered to love more like Jesus.
I can’t put every great aspect of this book in a review. You won't want to miss the powerful story of how God used Bob Goff to display justice and love surrounding a boy who was left for dead by a witchdoctor, in Uganda.
Get Your Copy of Everybody Always by Bob Goff.
Thank You
Thank you so much for your support. One of the best ways to support me and this blog is to buy using the links provided in the blog. When you click on the included links, we get a small portion of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
