Hello and welcome to ex libris (“from the library”), my monthly roundup of book discussion and recommendations. This work will be better with your contributions, so please feel free to chime in below if you’d like!
The Books That Made Me: An Occasional Series
prod-i-gal (adjective): 1. recklessly extravagant. 2. having spent everything.
This selection was initially meant for later on in this series, but given the events of the past month, I wanted to talk about Tim Keller’s The Prodigal God.
This little book takes the familiar parable of The Prodigal Son and turns it on its ear a bit. In his introduction, Keller says:
It is not right to single out only one of the sons as the sole focus of the story. Even Jesus doesn’t call it the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but begins the story saying, “a man had two sons.” The narrative is as much about the elder brother as the younger, and as much about the father as the sons. And what Jesus says about the older brother is one of the most important messages given to us in the Bible. The parable might be better called the Two Lost Sons. (p. xiv)
Over the course of this small book, Keller skillfully takes apart the parable, spending time on each character (the father and each son) and also the audience it was delivered to (the Pharisees). He does not leave anyone out — nor should he. Each person, inside or outside of a church, should find themselves somewhere here.
The bit that I have carried with me is about forgiveness:
…it is only at the elder brother’s expense that the younger brother can be brought back in. ….when the father says to the older brother, ‘My son, everything I have is yours,’ he is telling the literal truth. Every penny that remained of the family estate belongs to the elder brother. Every robe, every ring, every fatted calf is his by right. …forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting the forgiveness. (p.82-83)
This is a definition of forgiveness that is superior to the “forgiveness, full and free” that we often meditate on. Yes, forgiveness is always free to the recipient, or it is not forgiveness. However, it is not free to the one who grants it. There is a cost.
This has implications for our relationship with God and our relationships with one another. How much of the cost to ourselves are we willing to incur? How much have we cost others? How much have we cost the Lord? — and how willing He was to spend it all.
This month’s book stack:
On Getting Out of Bed: Alan Noble This is a compassionate, vulnerable exploration of trying to make our way through depression and debilitating mental illness episodes. It’s a short, kind book, pressing into the realities of treatment, while also encouraging the reader to suffer in the midst of Christ’s provision for his people. I appreciate Alan’s openness and vulnerability so much.
Orthodoxy: GK Chesterton This was a reread for me, though it had been years. The highlight of this book for me is the chapter “The Ethics of Elfland,” in which Chesterton reminds us of the magic of living. It’s a classic — every Christian person should read it.
Looking for the Hidden Folk: Nancy Marie Brown This was recommended on The Russell Moore Show, and you can hear Russell and producer Ashley Hales talk about it right here. The book explores Icelander’s belief in elves and respect for the earth; threaded through the book is the constant theme of how stories bind people together. This was wild. I loved it.
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams: Daniel Nayeri. Daniel is so good at writing things that sound like spoken storytelling. This was true of his award-winning Everything Sad is Untrue; this book is the same way — though based in a different time and place. Samir tells the adventures of a boy on the Silk Road.
Essential Christianity: JD Greear. In this book about the essentials of Christianity, Greear marches through the book of Romans, using Paul’s arguments to unfold the basics of the Christian religion. I especially enjoyed the chapters on the Holy Spirit and on sanctification. JD is a winsome writer.
A note on purchase links: I’m a happy supporter of independent bookshops, so the links I provide will almost always go to my affiliate link at bookshop.org. For my local readers, I heartily recommend you buy them through our favorite, Goldberry Books, but you might have a shop closer to you. Of course, you can always find these selections on That Big Website That Ships Quickly, But Not As Quickly as It Used To, and Remember How They Sucked Us All In By Being a Bookstore to Begin With? I’m also a big fan of saving money and patronizing your local library. Happy reading!
If both you and Russell Moore are recommending something, I’m in! Just reserved Looking for the Hidden Folk from the library.