Love Kindness by Barry H. Corey

Love Kindness by Barry H. Corey ISBN-13: 9781496411969 Trade Paperback: 234 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers Released: March 15, 2016

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Kindness is not what we have been taught it is. It is neither timid nor frail. Instead, it is brave and daring, willing to be vulnerable with those with whom we disagree. It is the revolutionary way that Jesus himself called us to live. The way of authenticity.

Dr. Barry Corey, president of Biola University, believes we tend to devalue the importance of kindness. We forget that the essence of what God requires of us is to "love kindness." In this book, filled with stories from his travels around the globe, Barry shows us the forgotten way of kindness. It is a life of a firm center and soft edges. It is the life Christ invites us to follow, no matter what the cost.


My Review:
Love Kindness could also have been titled "Barry Corey's Acts of Kindness." It's a memoir centered around the theme of kindness. I was expecting the style to be more like a Bible study or sermon, so I was surprised that every story mentioned the author and most where about his own acts of kindness. It didn't come across as bragging as he didn't always come away looking good. I think he was just trying to show what kindness looks like in action.

Each chapter contained two or three verses from the Bible and a story or two of kindness. He started by talking about what biblical kindness is, and it isn't just "being nice." He then focused on certain elements of kindness: genuineness, humility, listening to those you disagree with, showing Christ's love, being fully present when spending time with someone, seeing others as God sees them, avoiding hypocrisy and being willing to acknowledge our mistakes, encouraging others using our time and knowledge, hospitality, not expecting anything in return, and other-centered.

The book was an easy, quick read, and he made some good points. I'd recommend this book to those interested in biblical kindness.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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