What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus
Who Is Jesus? His name is recognized the world over. Christians claim to follow Him. Muslims honor Him as a prophet. And many Jewish rabbis regard him as a great teacher. Everyone knows about Jesus, but how many of us fully understand what He was like as a person?
In Love Walked among Us, Paul Miller invites us to get to know Jesus, to observe his life and His love as they unfold in the Gospel narratives. The book investigates such questions as: How do you love someone when you get no love in return, only withdrawal or ingratitude? How do you love without being trapped or used by another person? How do you love when you have your own problems? When do you take care of yourself? When you are compassionate, people use you, but when you are honest, people get angry—so how do you love with both compassion and honesty? In every way, Jesus’ life exemplifies the full potential of what we were intended to be. And the better we know Him, the more we will be drawn to follow His perfect example.
In Love Walked among Us, Paul Miller invites us to get to know Jesus, to observe his life and His love as they unfold in the Gospel narratives. The book investigates such questions as: How do you love someone when you get no love in return, only withdrawal or ingratitude? How do you love without being trapped or used by another person? How do you love when you have your own problems? When do you take care of yourself? When you are compassionate, people use you, but when you are honest, people get angry—so how do you love with both compassion and honesty? In every way, Jesus’ life exemplifies the full potential of what we were intended to be. And the better we know Him, the more we will be drawn to follow His perfect example.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2001
305 people are currently reading
1550 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
August 24, 2016
***2016 Reading Challenge - A book you previously abandoned***
I'm writing this review, having just finished the last chapter of the book, thankful that you cannot see me because I'm ugly crying. To put it in a nutshell: 5 stars, highly recommend. While I recommend it, I am also convicted that no one needed to read this book more than I did. It's a very humble book with a big impact. Timothy Keller said about this book, "If Jesus or Jesus' saving grace is just an abstraction to you, Paul Miller will be a great help in making his love a living reality to your heart." I can identify with that. Honestly, it's really hard to get to know Jesus in the gospels through all the haze of time and cultural differences. It's also hard to reconcile isolated Bible scriptures or stories with the whole life and work of Jesus. And sometimes its easier to understand a theology about Jesus than to understand theology through the person of Jesus. This book is the polished gem of Miller's own in-depth study of the person of Jesus in the gospels. It is very practical; you will leave knowing Jesus in a very concrete way. But it is also very spiritual; you will leave knowing Jesus in a very real way.
Here are some gems:
"We instinctively know that love leads to commitment, so we look away when we see a beggar. We might have to pay if we look too closely and care too deeply. Loving means losing control of our schedule, our money, and our time. When we love we cease to be the master and become a servant."
"If the eye is the lamp of the soul, then the soul of Jesus is filled with people."
"Compassion affects us. Maybe that's why we judge so quickly - it keeps us from being infected by other people's problems. Passing judgement is just so efficient."
"Judging is knee-jerk, quick, and bereft of thought, while compassion is slow and thought-filled."
"Judging separates and, thus, destroys community; compassion unites and creates community."
"If we follow the Golden Rule, there is no guarantee that we will be treated the same in return. No one knows this better than Jesus. As he was dying on the cross, the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself!" (Mark 15:31)...The question, "Who will make the first move?" is answered. God did."
"Jesus shows us that without truth, our relationships lack definition and meaning...The gift of compassion must be accompanied by the gift of truth."
"He is both the true-peacemaker and the false-peacebreaker. Jesus' angry honesty disrupts false peace...Even though honesty can be painful and justice often separates, honesty and justice resolve injustice."
"Compassion begins by looking at the other person. Reconciliation begins by looking at yourself...The only way to be honest without being judgmental is not by learning a principle, but by going through a process where you reflect, How do I do the same thing?"
[Sorry, guys just two more!]
"Evil isn't just out there. It's in us. As we've seen, Jesus repeatedly takes our pointing finger and gently turns it back toward us. He interrupts our quiet superiority and blame shifting by holding a mirror up to our faces. The problem isn't other people, it's me...Because we have trouble seeing this, we also have trouble seeing that our evil has consequences. It just doesn't seem that bad. God's anger at sin seems like an overreaction...Jesus' gift of love makes sense if we accept Jesus' assessment of us - we're empty people who need to be filled, selfish people who need to be turned outward, sinners who need to be forgiven."
"When Jesus became a person, he became a person forever. He didn't just hold his nose for thirty years, and then it was all over. He, the Son of God, was permanently changed because of his love for humanity. So if loving means changes for me, that is okay - it meant permanent change for Jesus. Love is forever."
These are only the tip of the iceberg. Get the book. Read the book. Learn more about Jesus.
I'm writing this review, having just finished the last chapter of the book, thankful that you cannot see me because I'm ugly crying. To put it in a nutshell: 5 stars, highly recommend. While I recommend it, I am also convicted that no one needed to read this book more than I did. It's a very humble book with a big impact. Timothy Keller said about this book, "If Jesus or Jesus' saving grace is just an abstraction to you, Paul Miller will be a great help in making his love a living reality to your heart." I can identify with that. Honestly, it's really hard to get to know Jesus in the gospels through all the haze of time and cultural differences. It's also hard to reconcile isolated Bible scriptures or stories with the whole life and work of Jesus. And sometimes its easier to understand a theology about Jesus than to understand theology through the person of Jesus. This book is the polished gem of Miller's own in-depth study of the person of Jesus in the gospels. It is very practical; you will leave knowing Jesus in a very concrete way. But it is also very spiritual; you will leave knowing Jesus in a very real way.
Here are some gems:
"We instinctively know that love leads to commitment, so we look away when we see a beggar. We might have to pay if we look too closely and care too deeply. Loving means losing control of our schedule, our money, and our time. When we love we cease to be the master and become a servant."
"If the eye is the lamp of the soul, then the soul of Jesus is filled with people."
"Compassion affects us. Maybe that's why we judge so quickly - it keeps us from being infected by other people's problems. Passing judgement is just so efficient."
"Judging is knee-jerk, quick, and bereft of thought, while compassion is slow and thought-filled."
"Judging separates and, thus, destroys community; compassion unites and creates community."
"If we follow the Golden Rule, there is no guarantee that we will be treated the same in return. No one knows this better than Jesus. As he was dying on the cross, the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself!" (Mark 15:31)...The question, "Who will make the first move?" is answered. God did."
"Jesus shows us that without truth, our relationships lack definition and meaning...The gift of compassion must be accompanied by the gift of truth."
"He is both the true-peacemaker and the false-peacebreaker. Jesus' angry honesty disrupts false peace...Even though honesty can be painful and justice often separates, honesty and justice resolve injustice."
"Compassion begins by looking at the other person. Reconciliation begins by looking at yourself...The only way to be honest without being judgmental is not by learning a principle, but by going through a process where you reflect, How do I do the same thing?"
[Sorry, guys just two more!]
"Evil isn't just out there. It's in us. As we've seen, Jesus repeatedly takes our pointing finger and gently turns it back toward us. He interrupts our quiet superiority and blame shifting by holding a mirror up to our faces. The problem isn't other people, it's me...Because we have trouble seeing this, we also have trouble seeing that our evil has consequences. It just doesn't seem that bad. God's anger at sin seems like an overreaction...Jesus' gift of love makes sense if we accept Jesus' assessment of us - we're empty people who need to be filled, selfish people who need to be turned outward, sinners who need to be forgiven."
"When Jesus became a person, he became a person forever. He didn't just hold his nose for thirty years, and then it was all over. He, the Son of God, was permanently changed because of his love for humanity. So if loving means changes for me, that is okay - it meant permanent change for Jesus. Love is forever."
These are only the tip of the iceberg. Get the book. Read the book. Learn more about Jesus.
February 6, 2021
“Love didn’t just walk among us. He can indwell in us.”
“In love, Jesus looked at people. In faith, we look to Jesus.”
“Jesus has shown us how to love: Look, feel, and then help. If we help someone but don’t take the time to look at the person and feel what he or she is feeling, our love is cold. And if we look and feel, but don’t do what we can to help, our love is cheap. Love does both.”
This is my first Paul E. Miller book and it certainly won’t be my last. This is a great Christian living book that focuses on loving others and uses the greatest example to follow: Jesus. Paul takes us on a journey and walks us through Jesus’ life from the beginning of his ministry with examples of loving the poor, the outcast, and the forgotten; and he takes us all the way to Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and appearing to the women and disciples. And in that journey, he shows us the many examples of Jesus’ love. Many of the stories are obvious (and a great reminder) but there are also some of the lesser known encounters that are great reminders as well, especially when Paul gives us historical context. And that’s one thing I really like about this book; having historical biblical context to better explain.
Loving people seems obvious to the Christian but we are all selfish human beings and sometimes need a gentle nudge or a swift kick in the pants for a call to action. To love others, to empathize with them, and ultimately treat them like Jesus did. This is the call to all of us who follow Jesus.
“In love, Jesus looked at people. In faith, we look to Jesus.”
“Jesus has shown us how to love: Look, feel, and then help. If we help someone but don’t take the time to look at the person and feel what he or she is feeling, our love is cold. And if we look and feel, but don’t do what we can to help, our love is cheap. Love does both.”
This is my first Paul E. Miller book and it certainly won’t be my last. This is a great Christian living book that focuses on loving others and uses the greatest example to follow: Jesus. Paul takes us on a journey and walks us through Jesus’ life from the beginning of his ministry with examples of loving the poor, the outcast, and the forgotten; and he takes us all the way to Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and appearing to the women and disciples. And in that journey, he shows us the many examples of Jesus’ love. Many of the stories are obvious (and a great reminder) but there are also some of the lesser known encounters that are great reminders as well, especially when Paul gives us historical context. And that’s one thing I really like about this book; having historical biblical context to better explain.
Loving people seems obvious to the Christian but we are all selfish human beings and sometimes need a gentle nudge or a swift kick in the pants for a call to action. To love others, to empathize with them, and ultimately treat them like Jesus did. This is the call to all of us who follow Jesus.
November 4, 2020
This book simultaneously challenged and comforted me. Paul Miller writes with honesty and humility and shows us how to live and love on a day to day basis like Jesus did. This was a beautiful journey alongside Christ and a really made my love for Christ deepen. Pure gold.
"Love didn't just walk among us. He can indwell us. Jesus repeatedly told people, "In me you'll find your deepest needs met - your need for forgiveness, love, hope, belonging, and purpose. I am what you've always been looking for."
"Love didn't just walk among us. He can indwell us. Jesus repeatedly told people, "In me you'll find your deepest needs met - your need for forgiveness, love, hope, belonging, and purpose. I am what you've always been looking for."
December 27, 2023
Loving like Jesus is very simple: all you have to do is die. But our nature is so hostile to this idea that it's impossible for us to love like Jesus unless we have Jesus. Laziness is diametrically opposed to love, and if we're not loving others, then we're not loving Jesus. Loving will cost you, hurt you, and at some point break you. Jesus knew this, and He still walked among us.
Read
February 11, 2025“Next he reaches out to provide for his mother. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother” (John 19:26-27). In the midst of his agony, Jesus never stops looking. He cares for his grieving mother, forgives the rough soldiers, gives hope to a dying criminal, and feels sad for weeping women. He overwhelms the evil around him with an undeterred, cancer-eating love.”
July 20, 2025
Miller es un gran pensador que trae los conceptos a la realidad, a su familia y su vida cotidiana. Este libro atravesó muchas partes de mí y diría que tiene tanto contenido TAN valioso que valdría la pena leerlo en varias temporadas dela vida. Y junto con otras personas para pensarlo de forma aplicada en la vida personal.
-El amor es un intercambio y nos cambia para siempre, (así como el cuerpo de Jesús cambió de forma permanente).
-La investigación tipo viga es primero pregunto la forma en que ofendí y hago muchas muchas preguntas y a final hablo de lo que me molesta.
-Jesus quiere servir en su propia boda, poner la mesa, llenar los vasos.
-El amor es un intercambio y nos cambia para siempre, (así como el cuerpo de Jesús cambió de forma permanente).
-La investigación tipo viga es primero pregunto la forma en que ofendí y hago muchas muchas preguntas y a final hablo de lo que me molesta.
-Jesus quiere servir en su propia boda, poner la mesa, llenar los vasos.
February 21, 2023
This is my first book I've read written by Paul Miller. And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised! SUCH a great book! I highly recommend!! There are 5 parts: Love Shows Compassion, Love speaks the Truth, Love depends on God (to name a few!) Miller shares a lot of Biblical stories with details that I wasn't even aware of and includes locations, centralized characters, maps and stories within the historical context, relating the message to modern day. Miller also opens up about his marriage, his kids and his role as a parent to his disabled daughter. Miller explores the miracles of Jesus, the love of Jesus, the personhood of Jesus, the deity of Jesus while also chronicling Jesus's relationships between the crowds, the Pharisees, the disciples and his family. In Part 5, Miller discusses in detail the cross, the resurrection and the miracles surrounding Jesus' final days on earth. Miller discusses everything from grief, to legalism, from humility and ultimately writing down the Secret to Love. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I know you will, too! Very insightful and informative!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2023
Es un libro hermoso porque habla de Jesús desde los evangelios con todo el esplendor de su amor. Me impactó mucho la forma en que Paul Miller describe el amor desde la persona y obra de Cristo por medio de su interacción con cada persona con la que Jesús se cruza en su vida, resaltando su compasión y su relación profunda con el Padre. Me anima a observar y a dejarme empapar por esto del amor precisamente porqué he sido amada por un Dios bueno.
September 17, 2023
Buen libro, muestra mucho sobre la vida de Jesús desde una perspectiva cercana, amorosa, que se compadece e identifica con los demás.
July 5, 2019
Loved Walked Among Us has quickly become one of my “everyone” books.
As soon as I read it, I ordered a case of copies to put in the hands of everyone in our church and everyone who crossed my path. Paul Miller’s keen study of how Jesus loved people is fresh, unique, and eminently readable–full of winsome wisdom in succinct sentences and 3D stories.
Everyone can profit from reading it–from closet Pharisees (like me) to honest unbelievers searching out the true identity of Jesus. Miller takes us on a tour of the gospels, shining a spotlight on the surprising ways and whys of Jesus’ love for people and connecting the dots to our lives today. The book is the condensed fruit of a longer study of the Person of Jesus available on the author’s helpful website: SeeJesus.net.
The only thing missing in LWAU is a chapter by chapter discussion guide for small groups, so I wrote one for our church. Love Walked Among Us climaxes with our Lord’s death and resurrection, making it a great book for everyone to read as Easter approaches. Buy two copies: one to read and one to give away.
***
This review was originally published in EFCA Today (Winter 2009) and is used with permission.
As soon as I read it, I ordered a case of copies to put in the hands of everyone in our church and everyone who crossed my path. Paul Miller’s keen study of how Jesus loved people is fresh, unique, and eminently readable–full of winsome wisdom in succinct sentences and 3D stories.
Everyone can profit from reading it–from closet Pharisees (like me) to honest unbelievers searching out the true identity of Jesus. Miller takes us on a tour of the gospels, shining a spotlight on the surprising ways and whys of Jesus’ love for people and connecting the dots to our lives today. The book is the condensed fruit of a longer study of the Person of Jesus available on the author’s helpful website: SeeJesus.net.
The only thing missing in LWAU is a chapter by chapter discussion guide for small groups, so I wrote one for our church. Love Walked Among Us climaxes with our Lord’s death and resurrection, making it a great book for everyone to read as Easter approaches. Buy two copies: one to read and one to give away.
***
This review was originally published in EFCA Today (Winter 2009) and is used with permission.
January 28, 2012
Love Walked Among Us is the first book from Paul Miller, author of A Praying Life... and I think it is just as good as its more well known successor.
Two things happen as you read Love Walked Among Us:
1. You get a fresh look at Jesus, at the way he loved and interacted with others. Jesus leaps off the pages. And you easily find yourself in amazement of him... possibly even falling in love with him. This book truly stirred my affections for him.
2. You get a long (and often hard) look at what it means practically to love like Jesus loves. The strength of Miller's writing on this point are his honest (and often embarrassing) examples from his own life. Illustrations of his own lack of love and growth in love flow easily and its easy to see yourself in his stories.
I will return to this challenging yet refreshing book often. But I would also recommend it as a first book on Jesus for new or non-Christians.
Two things happen as you read Love Walked Among Us:
1. You get a fresh look at Jesus, at the way he loved and interacted with others. Jesus leaps off the pages. And you easily find yourself in amazement of him... possibly even falling in love with him. This book truly stirred my affections for him.
2. You get a long (and often hard) look at what it means practically to love like Jesus loves. The strength of Miller's writing on this point are his honest (and often embarrassing) examples from his own life. Illustrations of his own lack of love and growth in love flow easily and its easy to see yourself in his stories.
I will return to this challenging yet refreshing book often. But I would also recommend it as a first book on Jesus for new or non-Christians.
October 3, 2011
This is a solid book. Worth reading. My copy is marked up with more than usual marginalia.
Miller's strength (I think) is categorizing aspects of Jesus' sprawling earthly ministry into helpful aphorisms (or as my friend John would say, "gospel nuggets").
One instance of this: Jesus says: "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." Because Jesus was True Humanity, Miller applies this to a marriage fight: "Choosing humility... simply means that, rather than be controlled by the last mean thing the other person said, we take the lower place."
Really good stuff. Be warned however, it is a slow read if you read it thoughtfully. Not because of boring prose, but because it is dense with good material.
Miller's strength (I think) is categorizing aspects of Jesus' sprawling earthly ministry into helpful aphorisms (or as my friend John would say, "gospel nuggets").
One instance of this: Jesus says: "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." Because Jesus was True Humanity, Miller applies this to a marriage fight: "Choosing humility... simply means that, rather than be controlled by the last mean thing the other person said, we take the lower place."
Really good stuff. Be warned however, it is a slow read if you read it thoughtfully. Not because of boring prose, but because it is dense with good material.
August 14, 2024
Wow. I learned so much.
This book is all about Jesus’ #1 character trait, His capacity to love and what love truly looks like. He shows us that He is walking Love, and how Love looks different in many different circumstances.
Miller is an incredible author, the way he breaks down scripture time and time again to nail in the theme of the book is admirable and also really helpful. He’ll quote a section of scripture, and then break it down verse by verse and paraphrase it and also tell us what it all means together and how it represents Christ’s love for us and others.
I made all my Kindle highlights public bc they were all so good and worth glancing over.
This book is all about Jesus’ #1 character trait, His capacity to love and what love truly looks like. He shows us that He is walking Love, and how Love looks different in many different circumstances.
Miller is an incredible author, the way he breaks down scripture time and time again to nail in the theme of the book is admirable and also really helpful. He’ll quote a section of scripture, and then break it down verse by verse and paraphrase it and also tell us what it all means together and how it represents Christ’s love for us and others.
I made all my Kindle highlights public bc they were all so good and worth glancing over.
January 8, 2015
This author walks us through a look at the lovely, compassionate acts of Jesus. I see in myself the same tendency toward snap judgments and self - preservation that the disciples make, and find a new gratitude that Jesus is willing and able to make me more like Himself. Miraculous indeed. "Jesus lowers himself in order to care, while the disciples elevate themselves in order to judge.... They see sin, Jesus sees need.... The disciples see a completed tragedy and wonder who the villain was, Jesus sees a story half-told, with the best yet to come."
June 28, 2021
It's an easy read with passages from Scripture, exemplifying Jesus' life and also the author's own experience with his family. I would say that it was a bit difficult to follow his line of thinking with his examples in the chapters. I didnt quite understand how each point related to each other and overall to the chapter. The flow wasn't very smooth. But all in all, it's a good book and he gets his main point across!
August 6, 2022
[4.5 stars] Nothing mind-blowing or particularly new here, but a great succinct resource that covers what you need to know about the love of God and how we should go about loving each other. Miller is a gifted communicator who shares honest stories. He’ll have occasional pieces of wisdom that put a new spin on a Bible story or two as well. I particularly like his ability to bring to life certain characters (like the Samaritan woman) from the Bible to life.
April 29, 2024
So good! I appreciate how each chapter dives into Scripture and how we meet Jesus there, dissecting what love truly is. Such a convicting book in recognizing how deeply rooted sinfulness, especially selfishness, is in my own heart, and because of that such a beautiful reminder of the love and sacrifice we find in Jesus! At least a top 2 book of RUF study program and made me cry, but what’s new.
September 5, 2017
A beautiful picture of Jesus. I love how He becomes more human through this book, yet still just as much God.
December 9, 2017
I’m always challenged by Paul Miller’s humility and his view of Jesus. He doesn’t pretend to have love all figured out, but he points us to the One who does.
June 18, 2022
Such a good look into the life of Jesus and how he loved. I would reread this again!
May 6, 2024
Like his other book I’ve read from Paul Miller, he does another wonderful job to help you meditate upon Jesus and his love!
August 2, 2025
Love Walked Among Us is one of those books that quietly shifts how you see Jesus—and how you love people. Miller takes familiar gospel stories and brings them to life in a way that feels both deeply personal and incredibly practical. He doesn’t just talk about love in theory—he shows us how Jesus lived it out, moment by moment, person by person.
What I loved most was how approachable this book is. It’s not heavy or overly theological, but it still carries so much depth.
If you’re looking for a book that helps you love like Jesus—not just believe in Him—this one’s worth reading! Will be revisiting in the future!
What I loved most was how approachable this book is. It’s not heavy or overly theological, but it still carries so much depth.
If you’re looking for a book that helps you love like Jesus—not just believe in Him—this one’s worth reading! Will be revisiting in the future!
January 7, 2020
“Love is a journey into joy.” (193)
“To love is to suffer. To journey through love is to journey through sadness.” (216)
“What’s the point of love if the journey ends in despair? Love is what you do on the journey. Faith is how you make it through the journey. But hope is the end of the journey. Without hope, love makes no sense.” (240)
“To love is to suffer. To journey through love is to journey through sadness.” (216)
“What’s the point of love if the journey ends in despair? Love is what you do on the journey. Faith is how you make it through the journey. But hope is the end of the journey. Without hope, love makes no sense.” (240)
July 22, 2014
This review first appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café (jacobscafe.blogspot.com).
A theme of this blog is exploring what it means to love in Christ. Paul E. Miller's book, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus, is a good addition to that discussion. Miller fills his book with many illustrations from both the biblical narrative and his and friends' lives. This approach really helps ground the principles, brings many of them to life, and creates a real-world application.
Unfortunately, that's where my praise stops, although I have to say at the outset that it was very difficult to pay attention to the content. I repeatedly have said that I love it when the author reads his/her own work when it's nonfiction. Miller has good inflection and sometimes displays his passion. However, this very well may be the worst produced audiobook I've ever listened to. Miller's pressured speech and regular stumbles and misreadings made it very challenging to listen to. I love audiobooks and listen to them regularly, plus my wife has narrated and edited some audiobooks, so I have some familiarity with the production process. Stumbles are normal, but that's what going back and re-recording the line and editing is for. The narration was so bad I actually contacted the publisher to ensure I didn't accidentally receive a draft version. I was told they attempted to fix what they could but were unable to re-record.
The errors and narration were distracting in the way that a poorly written paper with frequent spelling and grammatical errors are distracting (at least to me), preventing the core message from coming through. When I could hear the content honestly, I'm not sure I really heard anything particularly new or challenging. There were some good lessons, but I think there's other resources that are more effective at sending this message.
The complaint I had about content was that Miller seemed to make regular assumptions about various things that are not always reasonable. I recall during one biblical example, he said something like, "Jesus thought..." Except that Jesus' thoughts weren't in the biblical narrative. We can guess what Jesus thought, felt, etc., but we need to acknowledge that we're speculating and cannot be absolutely sure. It is this type of presentation that leads to rigidity in theological interpretation. There are also times when he gets facts wrong about people and fields. For instance, he talked about how psychologists look to Freud as a source of wisdom and guidance. Sorry, Miller, psychologists largely haven't relied on Freud for several decades. These kinds of statements, along with the poor production, made the book lose credibility to me.
If you're interested in this book, read it, don't listen to it. I cannot recommend the audiobook version at all, and the content is just "okay" from my perspective...
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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.”
A theme of this blog is exploring what it means to love in Christ. Paul E. Miller's book, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus, is a good addition to that discussion. Miller fills his book with many illustrations from both the biblical narrative and his and friends' lives. This approach really helps ground the principles, brings many of them to life, and creates a real-world application.
Unfortunately, that's where my praise stops, although I have to say at the outset that it was very difficult to pay attention to the content. I repeatedly have said that I love it when the author reads his/her own work when it's nonfiction. Miller has good inflection and sometimes displays his passion. However, this very well may be the worst produced audiobook I've ever listened to. Miller's pressured speech and regular stumbles and misreadings made it very challenging to listen to. I love audiobooks and listen to them regularly, plus my wife has narrated and edited some audiobooks, so I have some familiarity with the production process. Stumbles are normal, but that's what going back and re-recording the line and editing is for. The narration was so bad I actually contacted the publisher to ensure I didn't accidentally receive a draft version. I was told they attempted to fix what they could but were unable to re-record.
The errors and narration were distracting in the way that a poorly written paper with frequent spelling and grammatical errors are distracting (at least to me), preventing the core message from coming through. When I could hear the content honestly, I'm not sure I really heard anything particularly new or challenging. There were some good lessons, but I think there's other resources that are more effective at sending this message.
The complaint I had about content was that Miller seemed to make regular assumptions about various things that are not always reasonable. I recall during one biblical example, he said something like, "Jesus thought..." Except that Jesus' thoughts weren't in the biblical narrative. We can guess what Jesus thought, felt, etc., but we need to acknowledge that we're speculating and cannot be absolutely sure. It is this type of presentation that leads to rigidity in theological interpretation. There are also times when he gets facts wrong about people and fields. For instance, he talked about how psychologists look to Freud as a source of wisdom and guidance. Sorry, Miller, psychologists largely haven't relied on Freud for several decades. These kinds of statements, along with the poor production, made the book lose credibility to me.
If you're interested in this book, read it, don't listen to it. I cannot recommend the audiobook version at all, and the content is just "okay" from my perspective...
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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.”
February 4, 2017
Si se quiere saber que es el Amor, solo debemos leer las historias de Jesús.
Como tuvo compasión de cada persona que tuvo contacto con Él, como no juzgó a ninguno de los que se cruzó en su caminar por la tierra y su mayor reflejo de amor por nosotros al "MORIR POR NUESTROS PECADOS EN LA CRUZ"
En este libro el autor no lleva a seguir los pasos del AMOR que camino en la tierra, aprender de su andar y tratar de ser como Él. Algo imposible para cada cristiano pero un maravilloso trabajo para emprender durante nuestra corta estadía en la tierra, camino a la eternidad.
Como tuvo compasión de cada persona que tuvo contacto con Él, como no juzgó a ninguno de los que se cruzó en su caminar por la tierra y su mayor reflejo de amor por nosotros al "MORIR POR NUESTROS PECADOS EN LA CRUZ"
En este libro el autor no lleva a seguir los pasos del AMOR que camino en la tierra, aprender de su andar y tratar de ser como Él. Algo imposible para cada cristiano pero un maravilloso trabajo para emprender durante nuestra corta estadía en la tierra, camino a la eternidad.
November 15, 2018
In Goodreads terms, I liked this book. The principles and the use of scripture and the story of Jesus' life... excellent! The illustrations, personal examples and the writing... a little painful at times. The author clearly loves Jesus and knows the Bible well. I was encouraged and challenged to love others well and to follow in Jesus' examples.
However, the painful points I mentioned were quite painful. I wondered if the illustrations were all real - based on friends, maybe? Some seemed contrived. What bothered me about the personal illustrations is that many of them did not paint his family members, particularly his wife, in a pleasant way. I get this is a book about learning to love like Jesus... and we ALL could use some growth in that area!! Maybe everyone in his life approved of his using illustrations about them in this book. I don't know. If he had included a caveat about that, the book would have been 10000% better in my opinion. He did include stories of his struggles, but probably because he's a man and I'm a woman I reacted more strongly to his stories and was almost insulted. His marriage does not sound like mine. Some seemed to really get at very traditional gender norms that acted like "I'm doing my wife a favor whenever I do any household chores." There was a section about love as an exchange that went something like this: "if my wife asks me to vacuum while I am watching the news, I'm sacrificing my free time for hers." More context could have made this example A-OK! But without it, it could be interpreted as a woman begging off her duties for no reason. Also, the writing just seemed awkward at times. I did read the revised edition but still some parts sounded off.
Overall, I still learned from this book and was challenged by it (not just in fuming about his gendered examples! I am not really super feminist but those aspects of the book did bother me!).
However, the painful points I mentioned were quite painful. I wondered if the illustrations were all real - based on friends, maybe? Some seemed contrived. What bothered me about the personal illustrations is that many of them did not paint his family members, particularly his wife, in a pleasant way. I get this is a book about learning to love like Jesus... and we ALL could use some growth in that area!! Maybe everyone in his life approved of his using illustrations about them in this book. I don't know. If he had included a caveat about that, the book would have been 10000% better in my opinion. He did include stories of his struggles, but probably because he's a man and I'm a woman I reacted more strongly to his stories and was almost insulted. His marriage does not sound like mine. Some seemed to really get at very traditional gender norms that acted like "I'm doing my wife a favor whenever I do any household chores." There was a section about love as an exchange that went something like this: "if my wife asks me to vacuum while I am watching the news, I'm sacrificing my free time for hers." More context could have made this example A-OK! But without it, it could be interpreted as a woman begging off her duties for no reason. Also, the writing just seemed awkward at times. I did read the revised edition but still some parts sounded off.
Overall, I still learned from this book and was challenged by it (not just in fuming about his gendered examples! I am not really super feminist but those aspects of the book did bother me!).
December 28, 2022
I wanted to love this book. I really did. At the outset I thought, "Like other books about our Lord Jesus Christ, I'm hopeful that this will do the same in spurring me on to a deeper love for and an understanding of my Lord Jesus." In some ways it did. In other ways, the book fell flat and I found myself distracted in significant ways.
Things I loved about the book include the focus on Jesus Christ, an explanation of His staggering humility and love for others; the example of Christ's commitment to submit to the Father, and Miller's own sharing of many of his own struggles. I appreciate self-deprecation when used rightly and strategically, and Miller did that many times. Miller details critical elements of Christ's life in such a way as to challenge us, the readers, to follow our Lord's perfect example.
A couple of weaknesses of the book were significant enough to highlight: First, a number of times, Miller quotes and references individuals who were deeply entrenched in a church and a theological system that promotes salvation by faith + works. The quotes used do include truths, but it seems odd that an author has to reach into the pit of apostate beliefs to find examples and quotes to promote his point. Such usage simply feeds a confusion within the church today. Second, Miller, in his attempt to be relatable to the readers, seemed at times to paint his wife (and kids) in a negative light. I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill on this issue, but I personally struggle with that approach. Third, Miller points out that there is wisdom and understanding that people derive from Freud, who people still turn to, to garner such wisdom. Reality is, psychology today really doesn't turn to Freud for much of anything. Freud passed off the scene a couple decades ago.
I do believe that, weaknesses aside, the reader can be greatly encouraged by a deeper understanding of our Lord's love, and can be greatly exhorted to emulate that love.
Things I loved about the book include the focus on Jesus Christ, an explanation of His staggering humility and love for others; the example of Christ's commitment to submit to the Father, and Miller's own sharing of many of his own struggles. I appreciate self-deprecation when used rightly and strategically, and Miller did that many times. Miller details critical elements of Christ's life in such a way as to challenge us, the readers, to follow our Lord's perfect example.
A couple of weaknesses of the book were significant enough to highlight: First, a number of times, Miller quotes and references individuals who were deeply entrenched in a church and a theological system that promotes salvation by faith + works. The quotes used do include truths, but it seems odd that an author has to reach into the pit of apostate beliefs to find examples and quotes to promote his point. Such usage simply feeds a confusion within the church today. Second, Miller, in his attempt to be relatable to the readers, seemed at times to paint his wife (and kids) in a negative light. I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill on this issue, but I personally struggle with that approach. Third, Miller points out that there is wisdom and understanding that people derive from Freud, who people still turn to, to garner such wisdom. Reality is, psychology today really doesn't turn to Freud for much of anything. Freud passed off the scene a couple decades ago.
I do believe that, weaknesses aside, the reader can be greatly encouraged by a deeper understanding of our Lord's love, and can be greatly exhorted to emulate that love.
December 3, 2024
I didn’t engage as strongly with this book as I did the last of Miller’s, (J curve), but I think that’s because it’s pitched at a different audience. While the Jesus J curve targets Christian growth, Love Walked is targeting an earlier stage of engagement with Christianity, appealing to those who might never have read the bible or have little knowledge of what it says about Jesus. I like the approach of looking at who Jesus was and what he was like, not as a theological concept but as a person/teacher. Similarly, recognising that love is a central Christian teaching, and something that all of us value is a helpful teaching focus. Both of these ideas, i.e. Jesus as a person who lived out a life of love, are not new or surprising, yet somehow the church today is not known for exhibiting this, or even for teaching it. This critique may or may not be warranted (there is plenty of variability in practise and peoples experience of it). Miller’s book heads in the right direction I think, and I also think the examples he shares of his own life represent an honest and real description of trying to exhibit a life of love, along with the challenges this involves.
March 20, 2020
This was a strong look into the life of Jesus, and Miller makes a compelling case to follow him. He starts with an opening that says something to the effect of "Jesus was a good example of love, no matter what you think about religion, you could probably benefit from this." Then he looks at how Jesus loved others, he looks at how we can love others in the same way, and he finishes with a pretty powerful section on the gospel. It's easy to read and understand and I think readers will find it quite convicting.
For a mature Christian, this read will not be particularly insightful, but if you're someone who is kind of on the fence about religion, or has dabbled in it over time, or grew up in a Christian home but don't know why anyone would consider staying faithful to Jesus now, I think it's a really good book. Even if you've walked with Jesus for a while, there are a lot of good truths in here that I thought were wonderful to be reminded of.
For a mature Christian, this read will not be particularly insightful, but if you're someone who is kind of on the fence about religion, or has dabbled in it over time, or grew up in a Christian home but don't know why anyone would consider staying faithful to Jesus now, I think it's a really good book. Even if you've walked with Jesus for a while, there are a lot of good truths in here that I thought were wonderful to be reminded of.
July 10, 2021
Love didn't just walk among us. He can indwell us. Jesus repeatedly told people, "In me you'll find your deepest needs met - your need for forgiveness, love, hope, belonging, and purpose. I am what you've always been looking for."
What a fantastic book that really made Jesus come alive as more than just an abstraction. Learning about Jesus' personal philosophy was such an enriching experience. He truly exemplified living a life of complete and utter truth that coexisted harmoniously with perfect compassion. I read this book with my book club, which made for many insightful conversations, and helped me grow in true love towards others in my day-to-day. At times Miller could have done a better job at tying in his analogies, but that was the only opportunity for improvement that really comes to mind. Anyone can benefit from this - you'll come out of it a better human.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews