Max On Life

In Max Lucado’s latest book, Max On Life, he answers some of the questions he has received during his years as a pastor and Christian author. Lucado provides valuable insight to those who are hurting, searching for hope, and those struggling to make ends meet.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I began reading, as this was the first time I’ve read one of Lucado’s books. I picked this book to review for a couple of reasons: 1) It’s new, and 2) I knew it would be different than most of the other books I tend to read.

When I started reading, I was kind of disappointed because there seemed to be a lack of depth in his answers to the questions. The book is broken down into sections (Hope, Hurt, Help, Him/Her, Home, etc) with each page beginning with a question, and then answered on the same page, or two pages at most. With a history of only reading C.S. Lewis, John Piper, and the like, at first I found this to be a shallow attempt to answer these tough questions.

I kept reading though. As I pressed on, I realized how hard it must be to answer some of these questions on a single page, when an entire book could be written addressing a single issue at length. That’s when I came to appreciate the book for what it’s worth. Most people won’t read The Problem of Pain to find an answer to “Why do bad things happen if God is all loving, all good, all present, and all powerful?”, but they might take the time to read a few pages of encouragement addressing their particular problem or question.

The only negative thing I could really find with the book is that while Lucado does consistently use Scripture references throughout most of the book, some of the questions may be answered accurately, but aren’t always given references to support the answer. This being a Christian book written by a pastor, I would have hoped that every question would be addressed with Scripture, explaining how the gospel addresses each of the questions, problems, or concerns.

Overall, though, this is a great resource for people who don’t like reading that much, or for pastors and lay leaders who simply want a book where they can quickly find an answer to a question, or an encouragement for someone who is hurting. I would definitely suggest that this be a starting place, and to always go back to Scripture when addressing these concerns, and possibly another book that may explain the answers to some of the more serious questions in greater detail.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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