LESS IS MORE
Spirituality for busy lives
By Brian Draper. Lion. 169 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 0 745 955 513
‘Life is not about quantity, but quality’ (p.14) is the mantra running through this reflective book which is aimed at helping busy people de-clutter their hectic lives and find a bit of inner peace.
It has to be said that Draper is onto something. We all feel busy, most of us too busy. We don’t have the time to do the things we should, never mind the things we’d like to do and, honestly, lots of us have lost our joy in life somewhere along the line. We forget to marvel at the world around us and we’re probably working to the law of diminishing returns as we slave away at a whole host of activity. So ask yourself, says Draper, if this is how you want to spend your life (p.29).
Unfortunately, after starting out with some good questions, Draper gives hopeless answers which have little to do with a gospel of grace or a resurrection hope. Instead, salvation for Draper is found in listening to your soul, aka the Spirit of Life, and thereby achieving a heightened state of awareness (p.142). Jesus gets a brief cameo in the book, as does the Bible, but both are grossly misrepresented and parched of their meaning.
Having read his book, I’m left grateful that the Bible has better answers to his questions, that rest is found in trusting a sovereign God in whom we find meaning, purpose and life-bringing, forgiving grace. So that, while perfect peace might elude me and be a battle to remember, it will one day be mine, not because I found it in my soul, but because God gave it to me in Christ.
If you, too, have too much to do, then save yourself a bit of time and don’t read this book!
Steve Palframan,
pastor, Aigburth Community Church, Liverpool
