Beauty on the Backroads

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What no one talks about: Review of The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by Peter Greer

No one tells you when you’re signing up for nursery duty or applying to be a missionary or answering a call to pastoral ministry that it might be spiritually dangerous.

But as Peter Greer writes in his new book The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good, Christian service, whether paid or volunteer, ought to come with a warning label. (Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reading copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.)SpiritualDangerOfDoingGood_200rgb-662x1024

While charity can harm others, doing good can also wreak havoc on us. … Without evaluating our motives, it is possible to love our service more than we love our Savior.

Greer is the CEO of HOPE International, a nonprofit that focuses on microfinance as a means to end physical and spiritual poverty. His book is full of personal experiences of doing good for the wrong reasons with the wrong motive and paints an honest picture of what can happen in a person’s life, family and ministry when service takes precedence over everything else.

The book is funny and a little bit self-deprecating. Greer gives readers no reason to think he’s got it all together or is a saint when it comes to serving for the right reasons. Even as the CEO of a nonprofit, he’s still a human. He includes stories of others who have experienced personal failure while their ministry was thriving. It’s a fascinating and quick read, though by no means is it an “easy” read.

The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good is a warning as well as an encouragement to check your ego, your motives, and your personal relationships often in the midst of whatever job or ministry God calls you to. I wish this book had been published five years ago, before my husband went to seminary. And I’d recommend it to anyone who serves in the local church, as a longtime volunteer or full-time paid staff.

Greer’s message is that important.

Practical, applicable, relevant, The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good is not to be missed. And each chapter concludes with a link to bonus material on Greer’s Web site in the form of photos and videos. I look forward to viewing these “extras.”

For more about Greer, visit his Website www.peterkgreer.com.

 

Do you know where your clothes come from?

Honestly, I haven’t given it much thought in the past, but when the news reports stories like this and this, then I have to wonder if the clothes I’m wearing are breaking someone else’s back.

It’s a complex problem without easy solutions, but that doesn’t mean we need to sit back and wring our hands.

Can I introduce you to a company that offers products that are good for the planet, for the people who make them and for you?

Imagine Goods is an organization I whole-heartedly support. And I think you should too. IG logo

Here’s why:

First, the clothes, bags, aprons, tablecloths and the like are GOR-geous. I don’t go gaga over new clothes or home furnishings too often, but these products are classy.

Second, the company offers a symbol on each of its products representing the worker who made the item. On their Website, you can learn a little bit about the person who made your dress or apron or tablecloth.

Third, the owners Michelle and Aiyana are dedicated, hard-working and hands-on. They’ll be taking their 13th trip to Cambodia this weekend to buy fabric at the local market and meet with the workers they employ. From start to finish, they know the ins and outs of their business.

Fourth, the work Imagine Goods offers gives marginalized people a fair wage which helps families, and a chance to learn a trade. On the Website, you’ll notice clothes labeled “second.” Those have been made by people who are learning to sew. Rather than throw out work that may not be perfect, Imagine Goods offers them at a reduced price.

Fifth, do you need more reasons? If so, then I dare you to visit Imagine Goods on the Web and not be inspired by the work they are doing. I’m planning to buy  my next dress for a wedding from there. And next year, when my daughter needs an  Easter dress, I’ll be heading to Imagine Goods.

It’s past time that we–shoppers, consumers, Americans–take responsibility for our part in the world’s problems. Imagine Goods makes it easy to feel good about the clothes you buy and to make a difference–a real, lasting difference–in the life of a real live person on the other side of the world.

Enough talking. Now go check out their Website!