4.20.2008

Confusing your Readers: Bad Idea

In the world of contemporary Christian living literature, no name stands out quite like Max Lucado. Lucado's writing is simple, yet provocative; many of his books (he's written over 60 in the last 25 years) are nothing short of inspirational. He is the closest thing the Christian world has to Tony Robbins.

Yet, even the best can leave us wondering "what was he thinking."


In a recent book, Facing Your Giants, Lucado focuses on overcoming your most difficult challenges. I've enjoyed the book, but half way through I found one of the worst analogies I've ever read (or heard).

In reference to the living and active Word of God in Hebrews 4:12, Lucado writes, "The Bible is to God what a surgical glove is to the surgeon."

WHAT?!? Bible/God = gloves/surgeon? The Bible helps God keep blood off of his hands? The Bible reduces risk of infection when God performs surgery? I'm so confused.

Thankfully, Lucado offered an explanation. "He reaches through them to touch deep within you."

God, according to Lucado, reaches through his "surgical gloves" to touch us. So glad he cleared that up! Just for clarification, has anyone seen a doctor reach through a pair of surgical gloves? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of said gloves?

Oh well, at least the rest of the book is good.

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