Before I get into the review, let me share a story.
I took this book to the dentist to get a filling re-filled after it popped out while flossing. That’s what I get for having good oral hygiene. Anyway, I took the book to the dentist. I was reading in the chair after the hygienist had set me up, and the dentist walked in.
Dentist: What are you reading?
Me: Shows him the cover. The Gospel Comes with a House Key.
Dentist: frowns
Me: It’s basically about how Christians suck at what we are supposed to be doing, and how we need to be better about loving everyone.
Dentist: smiles That sounds about right.
And that’s a pretty good summary of the book.
…
Oh, you want more review? Well then, here we go. Rosaria Butterfield has written a fantastic book which is all kinds of convicting for a follower of Christ. Her background is fantastic, but that’s another story. Literally. This book focuses on how she began to love her neighbor more, isolate less, and give, give, give: of time, money, resources, and – more than anything – care. She discusses the ways in which she labored to get to know her neighbors, even the seemingly unlovable ones, and how those relationships have affected her family, her walk with Christ, and her neighbors. She challenges the reader to think differently about themselves and their role in the communities through a simple narrative of what she and others have done.
My favorite chapter was on church discipline. It was a bold chapter, calling out the church (in general) for not disciplining well, and for allowing those in sin to continue to socialize and interact with the rest of the congregation without consequence. It was truth boldly spoken, just like the rest of the book, though I fear it will fall on deaf ears. A good friend of mine said, “If 15% of Christians acted the way Butterfield does, the world would change. If all Christians acted this way, the world would end.” And I wouldn’t be surprised if that were true. One of the most depressing things of being a follower of Jesus is recognizing that many who call themselves followers really aren’t. Unfortunately, the people who really need to read this book probably won’t. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it.