Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World

“Whimsy doesn’t care if you are the driver or the passenger; all that matters is that you are on your way.”

The quote employs personification by ascribing the human characteristic of indifference to the abstract concept of whimsy, suggesting whimsy has a volition or consciousness that allows it to disregard one's role in a journey. This figurative language is used to communicate the idea that the essence of whimsy is the act of engaging in the journey itself, rather than the position one occupies. The importance is placed on movement and progress, not on the status of the individuals involved. Moreover, the phrase “all that matters is that you are on your way” utilizes a form of metonymy, with “being on your way” representing the broader concept of actively pursuing one's dreams or adventures.

“Tom Sawyer Island is like most people’s lives, I think: they never get around to crossing over to it.”

A simile is employed to draw a parallel between Tom Sawyer Island and people’s lives. The comparison suggests that just as people might overlook the opportunity to explore the island, they also often neglect to engage deeply with their own lives. This metaphorical bridge between a physical place and the concept of living is used to provoke thought about missed opportunities and unexplored potential. It critiques passivity, encouraging a more proactive and exploratory approach to life.

“I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them.”

The quote juxtaposes two different approaches to relationships, employing antithesis to highlight the contrast between “fixing” and “being with” people. Initially, the desire to fix suggests an active, perhaps intrusive engagement with others, potentially implying a position of superiority or control. In contrast, the latter part of the sentence indicates a shift towards a more passive, empathetic, and supportive role—simply being present.

“The world can make you think that love can be picked up at a garage sale or enveloped in a Hallmark card. But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence.”

This quote employs metaphor and contrast to convey the depth and complexity of love as compared to more superficial understandings. The metaphor of love being something that can be “picked up at a garage sale or enveloped in a Hallmark card” trivializes the emotion, comparing it to cheap, disposable items that can be easily acquired and discarded. This contrasts with the “costly” love created and demonstrated by a higher entity, which is characterized by “sacrifice and presence.” The contrast in the quote is used to distinguish between the worldly and the divine, between the easily acquired and the deeply nurtured, emphasizing that true love is not a commodity, but a profound, sometimes challenging, action.

“Jesus told the people He was with that it’s not enough to just look like you love God. He said we’d know the extent of our love for God by how well we loved people.”

This quote encapsulates a biblical principle using direct discourse to convey Jesus's teachings on the nature of love. It uses antithesis to contrast the external appearance of piety (“look like you love God”) with the tangible expression of love through actions towards others (“how well we loved people”). This contrast is not just a statement of preference but a metric for spiritual authenticity. The quote implies a causal relationship—a direct link between love for the divine and love for humanity, suggesting that the latter is a reflection of the former.

“I wonder if He thought each foggy morning, each soft rain, each field of wildflowers would be a quiet and audacious way to demonstrate His tremendous love for us.”

Personification is used by attributing human characteristics to non-human elements like a foggy morning, soft rain, and fields of wildflowers. This personification suggests a deliberate and thoughtful action on the part of a divine entity, ascribing intention and emotion to natural phenomena. The adjectives “quiet” and “audacious” create a paradox, as they are typically opposing descriptors—something quiet is usually not audacious, and vice versa. This unexpected pairing of words draws attention to the subtlety and boldness of nature's beauty as potential expressions of divine love. Additionally, the repetitive use of “each” at the beginning of the phrases “each foggy morning,” “each soft rain,” and “each field of wildflowers” is an example of anaphora.

“And for me, I’ve realized that I used to be afraid of failing at the things that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”

The contrast between “failing at the things that really mattered” and “succeeding at things that don’t matter” employs antithesis, juxtaposing two opposing outcomes to highlight the importance of prioritizing meaningful endeavors over hollow victories. This juxtaposition emphasizes a shift in perspective regarding personal success and failure. It subtly invites contemplation of the true value of one's actions and achievements, questioning societal measures of success.

“And when each of us looks back at all the turns and folds God has allowed in our lives, I don’t think it looks like a series of folded-over mistakes and do-overs that have shaped our lives. Instead, I think we’ll conclude in the end that maybe we’re all a little like human origami and the more creases we have, the better.”

This quote utilizes metaphor, comparing the complexities of human lives to “human origami,” implying that just as origami is an art form created by folding paper, our lives are shaped by our experiences and challenges. The “turns and folds” represent the various events we encounter, while the notion of “creasing” suggests that each experience, whether perceived as a mistake or a success, contributes to the depth and beauty of our character.

“I think God sometimes uses the completely inexplicable events in our lives to point us toward Him. We get to decide each time whether we will lean in toward what is unfolding and say yes or back away.”

The use of personification attributes a human-like intentionality to God, suggesting that he uses events in our lives for a specific purpose—to draw our attention towards him. The phrase “lean in toward what is unfolding” employs a physical action to describe a spiritual or emotional response, suggesting an embrace of life's mysteries and a willingness to engage with them. This metaphorical leaning in represents an acceptance or positive response to the inexplicable, while “back away” implies a retreat or refusal to engage with the divine aspect of these events.

“Accepting the invitation to show up in life is about moving from the bleachers to the field. It’s moving from developing opinions to developing options. It’s about having things matter to us enough that we stop just thinking about those things and actually do something about them.”

The quote contrasts two states of being: one passive and one active, using the metaphor of moving from the bleachers to the field to illustrate the transition from inactivity to participation. This shift is further emphasized by the transition from developing opinions, which can be a sedentary mental activity, to developing options, which implies taking initiative and preparing for action. Anaphora is also present again in the repetitive use of “is about moving,” “it’s moving,” and “It’s about,” which establishes a rhythm and underscores the progression from passivity to active engagement. This literary device amplifies the message by creating a structural emphasis on the shift in behavior and mindset that the author advocates.

“I think that’s how we were created, you know, to get named by people this way. I think God speaks something meaningful into our lives and it fills us up and helps us change the world regardless of ourselves and our shortcomings.”

The quote exudes a conversational style through its use of colloquialism, specifically the phrase “you know,” which invites an intimate rapport akin to a personal dialogue. This familiarity is a strategic choice, serving to break down barriers between the text and the reader, making the ideas presented not just statements but part of a shared understanding. The language's informal quality reflects the overarching theme that divine inspiration and personal transformation are accessible, universal experiences rather than esoteric concepts, fostering a sense of communal belonging and shared human experience. It's this casual discourse that underscores the author's intent to demystify the act of being named and known by a higher power, suggesting it's as commonplace and essential as everyday conversation.

“The words people say to us not only have shelf life but have the ability to shape life.”

Metaphor is utilized to convey the enduring impact of spoken words. By likening words to items with “shelf life,” there's an implication that words, like preserved goods, can last beyond their immediate utterance, maintaining influence or freshness over time. The second part of the sentence extends this metaphor, suggesting that words not only last but also actively participate in the construction of one’s reality. This dual metaphor emphasizes the permanence and formative power of language, imbuing words with a sense of vitality and agency typically reserved for living beings or artisans.

“Jesus is basically saying, “Look, none of the stuff you have is going to last, including you. You’ve only got about a dime’s worth of life now. Come and trade up, come follow Me, and you can know God.” In that sense, Jesus isn’t requesting a sacrifice at all. He’s asking us to play Bigger and Better, where we give up ourselves and end up with Him.”

The metaphor of a childhood game, “Bigger and Better,” is used to elucidate Jesus's teachings on the transient nature of material possessions versus the eternal value of spiritual wealth. By suggesting that life is worth “about a dime,” the writer trivializes the finite nature of earthly existence in comparison to the infinite worth of knowing God, a concept deeply rooted in Christian theology. The phrase “trade up” further enhances this metaphor by likening the act of following Jesus to a beneficial exchange where what is given up (the self) is vastly outweighed by what is gained (communion with God). The final sentence, which negates the idea of sacrifice in favor of this “game,” subtly employs antithesis to contrast the common perception of religious sacrifice with the proposed advantageous exchange, thereby reframing the concept of spiritual commitment as an upgrade rather than a loss.

“The cool thing about taking Jesus up on His offer is that whatever controls you doesn’t anymore. People who used to be obsessed about becoming famous no longer care whether anybody knows their name. People who used to want power are willing to serve. People who used to chase money freely give it away. People who used to beg others for acceptance are now strong enough to give love.”

The passage employs a series of contrasts to highlight the transformative power of embracing Jesus's teachings. The initial statement sets up a condition of liberation (“whatever controls you doesn’t anymore”), suggesting a powerful change that occurs upon accepting Jesus's “offer.” The following sentences illustrate this change through parallel structure, presenting before-and-after scenarios: from seeking fame to indifference about recognition, from craving power to willingness to serve, from chasing money to generosity, and from begging for acceptance to offering love.

“None of us want to make God look bad. But in the end, being fake makes God look worse. It makes people think He tastes like Crisco.”

The use of metaphor is evident, comparing the taste of Crisco, which is unpleasant when expected to be something else, to the experience of encountering insincerity in faith. The metaphor suggests that just as Crisco is a poor substitute for something authentic and palatable, a disingenuous portrayal of faith misrepresents the true nature of God, leaving a distasteful impression. Furthermore, there's a subtle use of irony. On the surface, the concern is not to make God “look bad,” yet the outcome of being fake is precisely that—it results in a misrepresentation of God, akin to the unpleasant surprise of Crisco. This irony underscores the message that authenticity in one's faith presentation is crucial because it affects perceptions of God himself.

“There’s nothing on the other side of the equals sign, just Jesus.”

This quote employs metaphor, equating the complex concept of faith with a simple mathematical equation, implying that when everything is boiled down, only the central figure of Christianity—Jesus—remains. The “equals sign” serves as a metaphorical pivot point, beyond which nothing else is required or present, emphasizing the sufficiency and singularity of Jesus in the Christian faith. This statement also uses antithesis, juxtaposing the anticipation of an equation's result with the stark simplicity of “nothing” being there, which paradoxically leads to a theological assertion that in the economy of spiritual belief, Jesus is the sum total of what matters.

“I used to think I had missed the mark and God was mad about it, but now I know “missing the mark” is a stupid analogy.”

Goff challenges a conventional metaphor for sin in Christian theology, “missing the mark,” by declaring it “stupid.” This adjective is a departure from academic or theological jargon, employing colloquialism to bring the concept into a more relatable and conversational realm. The phrase “missing the mark” itself is an example of a metaphor that he critiques for its inadequacy in explaining the human experience with divine expectation. Goff’s rejection of this metaphor is an act of didacticism, suggesting that there is a lesson to be learned in discarding outdated or unhelpful religious metaphors.

“These days, the view of God I hold on to isn’t Him being mad because I’ve missed the mark. It’s the one of Him seen through a bloody eye, scooping me into His arms, getting blood all over His shirt, and carrying me away to get healed.”

Metaphor and imagery are used to reshape a traditional view of God within Christianity. The “bloody eye” and the detailed image of being “scooped into His arms” with “blood all over His shirt” create an image of sacrifice and nurturing care, moving away from the abstract notion of divine displeasure to one of intimate, redemptive love. This narrative technique personalizes the experience of divine grace, grounding it in tactile, visceral terms. Additionally, the shift from an angry deity to a caring, healing presence is an example of antithesis, juxtaposing two contrasting images of God.

“I think God sees our failed launches in the same way. He sees us flying over the handlebars in slow motion, and while He never wants to see us hurt, He knows it can happen from time to time when we live a life of total engagement.”

The “failed launches” and “flying over the handlebars” are metaphors for life's trials and errors, suggesting a dynamic and action-oriented existence. The use of slow motion in the imagery magnifies the moment of failure, highlighting its impact and the inevitable vulnerability that comes with living fully. There's also an underlying theme of divine providence or oversight, with the implication that while God doesn't wish harm upon anyone, there's an understanding and perhaps a value placed on the lessons learned from such experiences of “total engagement” with life.

“The Bible says that right now we only know ‘in part’ and that one day, after we’ve gone, we’ll know ‘in full.’ That makes more sense to me because it means our understanding will always have gaps and gaps are good because they leave room for God to fill in the spaces.”

This passage uses allusion, referencing a well-known biblical scripture to underscore a point about human understanding and the divine. By mentioning that we only know “in part,” it implies a limitation on human knowledge and experience, preparing the ground for a divine completion of that knowledge—“in full.” This not only serves to bridge theological concepts with everyday understanding but also emphasizes the notion of faith and the acceptance of the unknown.

“We’re not here to let everyone know what we agree and don’t agree with, because, frankly, who cares? Tell me about the God you love; tell me about what He has inspired uniquely in you; tell me about what you’re going to do about it, and a plan for your life will be pretty easy to figure out from there.”

The quote employs rhetorical questions to challenge conventional attitudes towards faith and action. These questions are not posed to receive an answer but to provoke thought and introspection. Goff dismisses the importance of public opinion with “frankly, who cares?”—a colloquial expression that diminishes the value placed on societal approval and redirects focus to individual experience and action.

“God invites us to be new creations, original art, and to live a life of engagement. He says to leave the cheap imitation in a closet somewhere. He doesn’t say when you hang the real you out there—the priceless one—that things will go great either.”

Metaphorical language is used to present the concept of personal transformation and authenticity. The phrase “new creations” implies a beginning, a transformation that's both spiritual and deeply personal, akin to a renaissance. Comparing individuals to “original art” elevates the uniqueness of each person's experiences and contributions, suggesting that everyone has inherent value and potential that is unparalleled.

The metaphor extends with the recommendation to “leave the cheap imitation in a closet somewhere,” contrasting the authentic self with a counterfeit version. The closet serves as a symbol for hiding or suppressing one's true nature, and the encouragement to abandon the imitation suggests a move towards genuine self-expression.

“You want a mission statement to go along with being secretly incredible? Okay, here it is: “Be Awesome.” That’s it. If you want to follow Jesus’ example of how He did things, that’s probably all we’d write down instead of our otherwise heady doctrinal statements.”

The mission statement “Be Awesome” cuts through complexity with brevity and directness. This minimalistic approach strips away the often overwhelming and intricate layers of religious doctrine to present a clear and uncomplicated goal. The use of the adjective “awesome” is deliberately chosen for its modern, colloquial resonance, making the statement accessible and relatable.

The suggestion that such a succinct statement could replace “our otherwise heady doctrinal statements” is an example of hyperbole, exaggerating to make a point about the often unnecessary complexity of religious texts. It serves to highlight the gap between the simplicity of the core message of Jesus and the elaborate interpretations that have developed around it.