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Reactivity: How the Gospel Transforms Our Actions and Reactions
Bestselling Author Paul David Tripp Helps Christians Communicate Biblically in a Culture of Outrage
Digital media and technology are altering the way people act—and react—toward each other. Criticism, outrage, and controversy dominate social engagement and unfortunately many Christians have joined in the chaos. It’s a troubling contrast to Jesus’s words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Award-winning author Paul David Tripp instructs believers to view digital media and technology through the lens of the gospel and points them toward a biblical framework for communication. Explaining how God wants the church to engage with culture and each other, Tripp encourages Christians to think wisely about their interactions and be a beacon of light in an age of toxicity.
A Biblical Look at Social Discusses wholesome talk, the effects of “cancel culture,” and 5 false identity temptations including attention, power, and acceptance Applies Scripture Gives a gospel-centered framework for navigating digital life without confusion or destructive reactivity Great for Pastors, Parents, and Youth Helps readers understand who they are in Christ so they won’t be swayed by a chaotic digital culture
Digital media and technology are altering the way people act—and react—toward each other. Criticism, outrage, and controversy dominate social engagement and unfortunately many Christians have joined in the chaos. It’s a troubling contrast to Jesus’s words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Award-winning author Paul David Tripp instructs believers to view digital media and technology through the lens of the gospel and points them toward a biblical framework for communication. Explaining how God wants the church to engage with culture and each other, Tripp encourages Christians to think wisely about their interactions and be a beacon of light in an age of toxicity.
A Biblical Look at Social Discusses wholesome talk, the effects of “cancel culture,” and 5 false identity temptations including attention, power, and acceptance Applies Scripture Gives a gospel-centered framework for navigating digital life without confusion or destructive reactivity Great for Pastors, Parents, and Youth Helps readers understand who they are in Christ so they won’t be swayed by a chaotic digital culture
164 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2022
108 people are currently reading
1068 people want to read
About the author
Paul David Tripp
133 books1,418 followersPaul was born in Toledo, Ohio to Bob and Fae Tripp on November 12, 1950. Paul spent all of his growing years in Toledo until his college years when his parents moved to Southern California.
At Columbia Bible College from 1968-1972, (now Columbia International University) Paul majored in Bible and Christian Education. Although he had planned to be there for only two years and then to study journalism, Paul more and more felt like there was so much of the theology of Scripture that he did not understand, so he decided to go to seminary. Paul met Luella Jackson at College and they married in 1971. In 1971, Paul took his first pastoral position and has had a heart for the local church ever since. After college, Paul completed his Master of Divinity degree at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary (now known as Philadelphia Theological Seminary) in Philadelphia (1972-1975). It was during these days that Paul’s commitment to ministry solidified. After seminary, Paul was involved in planting a church in Scranton, Pennsylvania (1977-1987) where he also founded a Christian School. During the years in Scranton, Paul became involved in music, traveling with a band and writing worship songs. In Scranton, Paul became interested in biblical counseling and decided to enroll in the D.Min program in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul then became a faculty member of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) and a lecturer in biblical counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul has also served as Visiting Professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 2009, Paul joined the faculty of Redeemer Seminary (daughter school of Westminster) in Dallas, Texas as Professor of Pastoral Life and Care.[1]
Beginning in June, 2006, Paul became the President of Paul Tripp Ministries, a non-profit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." In addition to his current role as President of Paul Tripp Ministries, on January 1, 2007, Paul also became part of the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA where he preached every Sunday evening and lead the Ministry to Center City through March, 2011 when he resigned due to the expanding time commitments needed at Paul Tripp Ministries.
Paul, Luella, and their four children moved to Philadelphia in 1987 and have lived there ever since. Paul is a prolific author and has written twelve books on Christian living which are sold internationally. Luella manages a large commercial art gallery in the city and Paul is very dedicated to painting as an avocation.[2] Paul’s driving passion is to help people understand how the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ really does speak with practical hope into all the things they will face in this broken world. Paul is a pastor with a pastor’s heart, a gifted speaker, his journey taking him all over the world, an author of numerous books on practical Christian living, and a man who is hopelessly in love with Luella.
At Columbia Bible College from 1968-1972, (now Columbia International University) Paul majored in Bible and Christian Education. Although he had planned to be there for only two years and then to study journalism, Paul more and more felt like there was so much of the theology of Scripture that he did not understand, so he decided to go to seminary. Paul met Luella Jackson at College and they married in 1971. In 1971, Paul took his first pastoral position and has had a heart for the local church ever since. After college, Paul completed his Master of Divinity degree at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary (now known as Philadelphia Theological Seminary) in Philadelphia (1972-1975). It was during these days that Paul’s commitment to ministry solidified. After seminary, Paul was involved in planting a church in Scranton, Pennsylvania (1977-1987) where he also founded a Christian School. During the years in Scranton, Paul became involved in music, traveling with a band and writing worship songs. In Scranton, Paul became interested in biblical counseling and decided to enroll in the D.Min program in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul then became a faculty member of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) and a lecturer in biblical counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul has also served as Visiting Professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 2009, Paul joined the faculty of Redeemer Seminary (daughter school of Westminster) in Dallas, Texas as Professor of Pastoral Life and Care.[1]
Beginning in June, 2006, Paul became the President of Paul Tripp Ministries, a non-profit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." In addition to his current role as President of Paul Tripp Ministries, on January 1, 2007, Paul also became part of the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA where he preached every Sunday evening and lead the Ministry to Center City through March, 2011 when he resigned due to the expanding time commitments needed at Paul Tripp Ministries.
Paul, Luella, and their four children moved to Philadelphia in 1987 and have lived there ever since. Paul is a prolific author and has written twelve books on Christian living which are sold internationally. Luella manages a large commercial art gallery in the city and Paul is very dedicated to painting as an avocation.[2] Paul’s driving passion is to help people understand how the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ really does speak with practical hope into all the things they will face in this broken world. Paul is a pastor with a pastor’s heart, a gifted speaker, his journey taking him all over the world, an author of numerous books on practical Christian living, and a man who is hopelessly in love with Luella.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
March 8, 2023
I was looking for a tissue and a pat on the back...I was met with way more and what I actually needed... Conviction from a loving God who is in control of all things. I expected to not get too much out of this book since I don't even have social media. I was challenged to look at my own sin and heart and boy was I met with overwhelming grace.
March 9, 2024
Well written and easy to read. It focuses mostly on social media interactions but there are definitely takeaways to be applied into daily living.
The last 3 or so chapters were quite well thought out in particular and had salient points which left me pondering my own actions and thoughts.
The last 3 or so chapters were quite well thought out in particular and had salient points which left me pondering my own actions and thoughts.
February 4, 2023
A helpful guide for reflecting on our reactions before taking action. While written in the context of posting on social media, it is a useful book for helping us think through honouring Jesus as we engage with tricky relationships.
February 4, 2024
Must read for anyone using social media.
Tripp’s books are always thought provoking and this one is no exception. In this book he addresses the toxic reactivity that is present in our culture today, especially on social media. He presents biblical principles that should guide our interactions with others both face-to-face and online.
Every Christian should read this book, especially those who are active on social media.
The only negative for me, and it’s a minor one, is that Tripp keeps mentioning the “trolls” who react negatively to his social media posts.
Tripp’s books are always thought provoking and this one is no exception. In this book he addresses the toxic reactivity that is present in our culture today, especially on social media. He presents biblical principles that should guide our interactions with others both face-to-face and online.
Every Christian should read this book, especially those who are active on social media.
The only negative for me, and it’s a minor one, is that Tripp keeps mentioning the “trolls” who react negatively to his social media posts.
October 5, 2022
Something has gone wrong with how many Christians react on social media. It has developed into a toxic culture. Tripp initially saw social media as a powerful tool for the gospel. It has developed to a cesspool of anger filled with comments dishonoring God. And, unfortunately, it is becoming normalized, even infecting the church.
Tripp is hard hitting in this book. He reminds Christians God has made it clear. The norm for Christians should be love. “Being theologically correct does not give you the license to be mean.” (170/1709) He reviews the biblical commands covering our responses and other relationship interactions. Yes, we are to care about truth and justice but there is a godly way to express such concern.
I really like Tripp's underlying foundation for our way of understanding and dealing with everything, especially the culture of social media. We are to view everything through the lens of the gospel. The gospel provides us with a way of seeing, a means of interpreting, a guide to understanding, and a way of living. The gospel should shape what we say and how we say it.
This is an excellent book for Christians who are concerned about the toxic nature of recent social media conversations. It is also a necessary book for those involved in the heated social media exchanges. Tripp reminds us it has to do with the conditions of the heart and the sin involved. The gospel should be our driving motivation for all we do. Love and showing dignity and respect are to be essential elements of our exchanges.
If you are willing to evaluate what you think and say and do through the lens of the gospel, this book is for you. If you are not willing to make that examination, this book is all the more necessary for you.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Tripp is hard hitting in this book. He reminds Christians God has made it clear. The norm for Christians should be love. “Being theologically correct does not give you the license to be mean.” (170/1709) He reviews the biblical commands covering our responses and other relationship interactions. Yes, we are to care about truth and justice but there is a godly way to express such concern.
I really like Tripp's underlying foundation for our way of understanding and dealing with everything, especially the culture of social media. We are to view everything through the lens of the gospel. The gospel provides us with a way of seeing, a means of interpreting, a guide to understanding, and a way of living. The gospel should shape what we say and how we say it.
This is an excellent book for Christians who are concerned about the toxic nature of recent social media conversations. It is also a necessary book for those involved in the heated social media exchanges. Tripp reminds us it has to do with the conditions of the heart and the sin involved. The gospel should be our driving motivation for all we do. Love and showing dignity and respect are to be essential elements of our exchanges.
If you are willing to evaluate what you think and say and do through the lens of the gospel, this book is for you. If you are not willing to make that examination, this book is all the more necessary for you.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
May 6, 2024
I read this along with our entire school staff. It reminded me of why I got off social media during Covid, but it was also extremely insightful and applicable to wider realms. In both ministry and education there are numerous opportunities to “act and react” and each chapter of this book was a helpful gospel-drenched reset for me.
Since the book is primarily about how Christians act and react online, I did frequently ponder the design of online platforms. They don’t just tend towards the sinful reaction; they seem to be designed FOR it. For that reason, I often wonder if Christians should be radically unplugged and focus on the face to face and the local. Those interactions are hard enough on their own. We should be a light to a dark world, but daily trying to do so on social media (for me, with all my sinful tendencies ) was like trying to light a candle with a flame thrower. For this believer, face to face, in real relationships, is all I can handle!
Since the book is primarily about how Christians act and react online, I did frequently ponder the design of online platforms. They don’t just tend towards the sinful reaction; they seem to be designed FOR it. For that reason, I often wonder if Christians should be radically unplugged and focus on the face to face and the local. Those interactions are hard enough on their own. We should be a light to a dark world, but daily trying to do so on social media (for me, with all my sinful tendencies ) was like trying to light a candle with a flame thrower. For this believer, face to face, in real relationships, is all I can handle!
January 10, 2023
This title hits the mark in tone, relevance, humility. It’s always reassuring to know Tripp will direct us to the Gospel and it’s all the more transformative and powerful when he does it in such a way that you can both be comforted and confronted. It’s easy for me to say there are many people I wish would read this book, but I was the one that needed it most. I needed to hear truth about how most of interactions and reactions (online especially, but even in person) are so often grounded in selfishness, pride, fear, and anger. Such a timely book - I will be recommending it to many and sharing how I needed it!
October 16, 2024
Convicting and timely read! This is one of those books I would recommend to everyone. While much of the book centers around social media interactions, I felt like Tripp’s redirection to the gospel and how we act as image bearers is applicable to any situation with another person, not just social media. Loved this!
September 11, 2025
Wow, I needed these reminders. Feels like everyone could use a healthy dose of this book. My only criticism is that it’s a bit redundant, but I’m also stubborn and self-centered, so I probably need all reiteration possible.
January 7, 2023
"My hope is that looking at what<.i> we are saying to one another and how we are saying it through the lens of the gospel will not just inform us but will also convict and transform us, so as a gospel community we will stand above the toxicity that seems to be everywhere around us and shine as a city on a hill in a sadly darkened world."
This book feels so relevant, especially because I have witnessed how people can be so toxic and disrespectful in this age of social media. As Paul David Tripp mentioned in this book, social media is a tool that can either be used for good or harm. Through 12 chapters, he reminded us about God's truth and His commands in the Bible that covers how we should interact with others. Even though the Bible does not tell us how to react in a particular situation, it gives us the lens through which we should look at everything. I always love how Paul David Tripp's writing is gospel-centered and mind-opening; it encourages me to reflect upon my life and discover what I can change in my behavior—especially in relation to other people.
"But there's a problem with tools. The hammer that can be used to build a house can also be used to smash a window in a robbery. The screwdriver that can be used to assemble something useful can be used to stab someone in a fit of anger. So it is with social media."
"We cannot, we must not, normalize a reactivity culture that is more of a culture of harm than a culture of grace."
In this review, I'd like to include parts of the book that are impactful for me and give a rough idea about its contents. The first one that struck me was the sentence that says being theologically correct does not give you the license to be mean. The author emphasizes that when theology is properly understood and lived, will never produce cruelty of any kind. Unfortunately, many believers seem to prove otherwise when they think themselves more righteous and knowledgeable than others. We are then encouraged to practice humility, reminding ourselves that we are all sinners and in need of God's grace. Humility makes it difficult to be quick to criticize or judge others because we know we're no different than them. More importantly, biblical knowledge should lead us to a wise and godly living because we don't know what we know until we truly live what we know.
Another section worth noting is where Paul David Tripp explored one passage from Ephesians that teaches us why we react to one another the way we do, what a much better way looks like, and what makes that possible. For the apostle Paul, wholesome communication is not about the vocabulary we use, but it's first and foremost a matter of the heart. Reading this propels me to reflect on the reasons behind my reactions and what is the intention of my heart at that moment. I also took notes on the 3 heart commitments that will help us build a culture of wholesome responses, which are consideration of the other person, understanding the situation, and having the goal of grace in our response. When people hear the word grace, sometimes they think it's about being nice, permissive, or passive. However, grace is a radically different way of dealing with wrong that requires humility coupled with trust in the power of God.
"Grace never calls wrong right. Grace is a way of responding to wrong."
"Toxic reactivity is the result of a life shrunk down to the size of our wants, our needs, and our feelings. It is about making ourselves more important than we are and our opinions more significant than they should ever be."
The last one that I will mention in this review is a chapter on Dignity. People become dehumanized in this social media age as we lose the physical relationship that requires commitment and carries consequences. This chapter reminded us that we are all created the same because God made us in His image, which is why we should treat one another with dignity. We should not treat someone differently because of their race, position, gender, spirituality, or anything else. I think that's something I will continue to remember as I interact with other people, reminding myself that they are God's creations who bear God's likeness too.
There are plenty more mind-opening truths that can be found in this book that will teach us how we should communicate better as a believer. Each theme that Paul David Tripp explored has the power to expose, convict, restore, and transform us if we are willing. It is also important to realize that at the end of the day, relationships are of greater value than winning or dominating a conversation. We also don't have the power to change anyone by force of anger or logic, because change at the level of the human heart is always an act of God's grace. This book is definitely a must-read as an antidote in this toxic digital age direly in need of God's love. Highly recommend!
"Your reactions will only ever go where your heart has already gone. So, a commitment to wholesome talk isn't first a commitment to a restricted vocabulary but rather to change at the level of the thoughts, desires, intentions, and choices of the heart."
Read my full review here:
https://www.thebookielooker.com/2023/...
May 31, 2025
I love Paul Tripp’s books. I find them extremely helpful in guiding my perspective on the gospel of Jesus. This book had some good perspective shifts, some great reminders, some encouraging passages. However, I did not find it particularly practical in guiding my reactions with my friends and family members. Instead it was too heavily saturated with a focus on social media.
Here are some quotes that I found helpful in guiding my perspective:
-"If you are not getting your identity vertically, you will search for it horizontally, and then you will be susceptible to all kinds of false identity temptations."
-Love—“Do you carry this central mark of discipleship? Is everything you say shaped by it? Is every reaction you make tempered by it? Is it the character quality you are known for? Do you make your point known but at the expense of love? Do you react without taking the time necessary to make that reaction shaped by love? Does a quick witted reaction shape you more than a humble, patient, gentle and a loving response. Many of us are reacting in a way that falls way below the standard set before us in 1 John 4.”
-“I was in the wrong. Words of rebuke would have been appropriate. But they would not have rescued me. I would have received them as another verbal beating. What melted my heart was grace poured out in patience and love.”
- “It is personally purifying to rest your identity in the one who planned what needed to be planned, controlled everything that needed to be controlled, and moved inside of you with convicting and empowering grace.”
- “When you place your trust in him and rest in your identity as his child you are protected from the temptations that come from looking for identity where it can’t be found. You are freed from saying things that you should not or do or say in order to get attention, power, acceptance, superiority, or control. You are able to stand alone. You are able to stand being misinterpreted and misunderstood. You can stand even being falsely accused.“
- “A restful heart is the product of gratitude. When your heart is filled with gratitude, it alters the way you see your world. It changes the way you experience each day. It shapes the way you see other people and it changes the way you understand and deal with difficulty. When your heart is at rest you aren’t easily irritated, overly critical, you are not gunning for a fight, you don’t personalize things that aren’t personal, and you aren’t frantically looking for acceptance or devastated when you don’t get it.”
- “Your reactions will only ever go where your heart has already gone.”
- “What you worship will be exposed by how you react… the solution is not reaction management, no, worship realignment.”
Here are some quotes that I found helpful in guiding my perspective:
-"If you are not getting your identity vertically, you will search for it horizontally, and then you will be susceptible to all kinds of false identity temptations."
-Love—“Do you carry this central mark of discipleship? Is everything you say shaped by it? Is every reaction you make tempered by it? Is it the character quality you are known for? Do you make your point known but at the expense of love? Do you react without taking the time necessary to make that reaction shaped by love? Does a quick witted reaction shape you more than a humble, patient, gentle and a loving response. Many of us are reacting in a way that falls way below the standard set before us in 1 John 4.”
-“I was in the wrong. Words of rebuke would have been appropriate. But they would not have rescued me. I would have received them as another verbal beating. What melted my heart was grace poured out in patience and love.”
- “It is personally purifying to rest your identity in the one who planned what needed to be planned, controlled everything that needed to be controlled, and moved inside of you with convicting and empowering grace.”
- “When you place your trust in him and rest in your identity as his child you are protected from the temptations that come from looking for identity where it can’t be found. You are freed from saying things that you should not or do or say in order to get attention, power, acceptance, superiority, or control. You are able to stand alone. You are able to stand being misinterpreted and misunderstood. You can stand even being falsely accused.“
- “A restful heart is the product of gratitude. When your heart is filled with gratitude, it alters the way you see your world. It changes the way you experience each day. It shapes the way you see other people and it changes the way you understand and deal with difficulty. When your heart is at rest you aren’t easily irritated, overly critical, you are not gunning for a fight, you don’t personalize things that aren’t personal, and you aren’t frantically looking for acceptance or devastated when you don’t get it.”
- “Your reactions will only ever go where your heart has already gone.”
- “What you worship will be exposed by how you react… the solution is not reaction management, no, worship realignment.”
November 6, 2022
“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.” John 13:35
Boiled down to its simplest premise, the above verse is the biblical basis for Paul David Tripp’s new book, “Reactivity”. He wrote the book to help folks navigate social media in a biblically appropriate manner in the midst of our very difficult current cultural and societal conditions. Right up front Trip admits to not being an expert on culture or social media. As a long time pastor and teacher, he’s quite adept at Bible and a good deal of social.
As is typical of Tripp’s writing, his style is conversational rather than preachy. He includes examples and experiences along with solid biblical application. I’m not an huge user of social media. An FB account that’s minimally used without Messenger, an Twitter account I’ve not touched in 15 years and some professional thing I cannot even recall the name of anymore. It’s hard enough to manage friends and family via texts and emails…
While reading “Reactivity”, I was struck with the tho’t that this information is just as important for face to face conversation as it is for e-communication; maybe more so. When I watch my nieces and nephews sit on opposite ends of the same couch and text each other or my siblings enter into flame wars with their spouses or children, well, it’s incredibly sad and wrong.
Does the Bible have specific information about TikTok or Instagram? Nope, but it does have the guidelines we need to participate on social media in a responsible, God honoring way. You’ll find a well organized, approachable guide to “how the gospel transforms actions and reactions” - once it’s known and yielded to.
All things considered, an excellent tool for honing biblical communication of any kind📚
Boiled down to its simplest premise, the above verse is the biblical basis for Paul David Tripp’s new book, “Reactivity”. He wrote the book to help folks navigate social media in a biblically appropriate manner in the midst of our very difficult current cultural and societal conditions. Right up front Trip admits to not being an expert on culture or social media. As a long time pastor and teacher, he’s quite adept at Bible and a good deal of social.
As is typical of Tripp’s writing, his style is conversational rather than preachy. He includes examples and experiences along with solid biblical application. I’m not an huge user of social media. An FB account that’s minimally used without Messenger, an Twitter account I’ve not touched in 15 years and some professional thing I cannot even recall the name of anymore. It’s hard enough to manage friends and family via texts and emails…
While reading “Reactivity”, I was struck with the tho’t that this information is just as important for face to face conversation as it is for e-communication; maybe more so. When I watch my nieces and nephews sit on opposite ends of the same couch and text each other or my siblings enter into flame wars with their spouses or children, well, it’s incredibly sad and wrong.
Does the Bible have specific information about TikTok or Instagram? Nope, but it does have the guidelines we need to participate on social media in a responsible, God honoring way. You’ll find a well organized, approachable guide to “how the gospel transforms actions and reactions” - once it’s known and yielded to.
All things considered, an excellent tool for honing biblical communication of any kind📚
February 4, 2024
Reactivity is definitely an edifying and thought provoking book on how we react to controversy all around us, especially on social media. Tripp is a great writer and the book is a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. It contains a lot of wisdom that people, especially Christians, need in today's world. The book has caused me to reevaluate how Christians are perceived by the wider world on social media as often times it's easy to forget that non-Christians may be coming across our internal arguments and toxicity on social media.
My one criticism is that I wish there was a bit more practical application. Towards the end, Tripp gets into things to think about before responding, but I think that this is a topic where having practical exercises and thought experiments would be helpful to get into.
My one criticism is that I wish there was a bit more practical application. Towards the end, Tripp gets into things to think about before responding, but I think that this is a topic where having practical exercises and thought experiments would be helpful to get into.
October 7, 2022
Reactivity is how we as humans respond to the actions of those around us. Oftentimes this reactivity is a negative response or a outburst against something we do not agree with. Paul Tripp writes how, Christian’s should be reacting in light of this ever changing world that is often contrary to our Christian worldview. Instead of taking offense and retaliating in our words and reactions he highlights how the gospel can transform or actions and reactions. He writes about our speech, sin, grace, identity and much more. In each chapter he uses verses from the Bible that highlight what and how a Christian should react to culture. As always this book was insightful and useful to giving the correct perspective in how to live a life that glorifies Jesus regardless of what is going on around us.
November 14, 2022
One more time Paul Tripp nailed it with his books. Reactivity could not come in better times when most of our interaction, ways of communication and even giving statements about what we think is right are not face to face but through social medias and how fast we react when we don't agree with an statement. We tend to react in bad ways and not to respond with love and respect. In this book he navigates through the interaction on the social media leading down with a Biblical foundation the way we believers need to interact and respond on social media and in our daily life. Something I really like about Paul Tripp books is it feels like you are sitting with him, having a one to one conversation. Totally recommend it.
Thank to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC in interchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this Title.
Thank to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC in interchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this Title.
May 29, 2023
First of all, I admire PDT and recommend his New Morning Mercies to anyone looking for a great devotional. This book, which had some great points about the toxic trolling on social media and the spiritual reasons behind it, was rather repetitive making it too long by half. If this is the first time you’ve considered your participation as a Christian in SM, you’ll learn some good things here.
October 16, 2023
Twas a really good and toe-stomping read. I really like Paul David Trip's thoughts and, of course, the biblical perspective that he shares is spot on. He constantly pulls the audience back to scripture and God's response to all things.
March 16, 2025
Even though it’s a relatively short and approachable read I still found it repetitive and skimmable at times. (I’m probably coming from a more critical/scholarly perspective though) Some vitally important thoughts for the Christian to remember.
February 28, 2025
Just giving this a 4 star because it took me long to get through.
April 23, 2025
Seemingly prompted by the poor reactivity of people on social media and the internet, this book does a really good job of touching on the way we react to people, view others, view ourselves, tackle misinformation/defamation and encourages everyone to view everyone in God’s image first. I wish this book were more well-known- it’s so well written, convicting and true for today’s world. Highly recommend, great for a weekend read.
Read
February 26, 2025“The desire for even a good thing can become a bad thing if it becomes a ruling thing.” (138)
September 26, 2023
Probably more 3.5. An interesting book with much application for the times in which we live. Tripp does an excellent job diagnosing the issues and laying out what we need to do, but more actual gospel, applied as Christ's forgiveness for us when we have reacted poorly and as the source of our new life going forward, would've been appreciated.
August 21, 2023
Read this for church book club and really made me stop and think about the way I react to circumstances online and in real life.
December 25, 2024
"What would this thing look like if I were to view it from the vantage point of the gospel?"
The gospel is the gracious gift of the one who promised to give us everything we need not just for eternal life but also for godliness, that is, a God-honoring life between the time he takes us as his own and the time we go home to be with him.
My hope is that looking at what we are saying to one another and how we are saying it through the lens of the gospel will not just inform us but will also convict and transform us, so as a gospel community we will stand above the toxicity that seems to be everywhere around us and shine as a city on a hill in a sadly darkened world.
Disrespectful responses seldom contribute to good things in the life of the receiver.
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Let these words sink in.
Jesus is saying that the mark of a disciple, the core indication that you have been visited, rescued, and transformed by grace, is not your theological prowess, your quick wit, your ability to win an argument, the success of your ministry, the number of your fol-lowers, your skill at getting clicks, how well you can put a person in his place, or the force of your communication. No, it's this one thing: love.
Love of others is not natural for us. Because of the selfism of sin, humble people-helping and God-honoring love is always the result of divine intervention. 1 John 4
Theology, properly understood and lived, will never produce meanness, misogyny, disrespect, mockery, or cruelty of any kind, ever. It produces just the opposite.
1 Tim 1:5-7 May we pray for grace to always hold truth and love together, never willing to abandon one for the sake of the other.
vengeful anger is always the result of some person trying to do God's job.
Theology that doesn't produce a life of love is bad theology.
Conviction is a good thing and should not be resisted. It is God giving eyes to see and opening hearts to receive. Conviction is our heavenly Father drawing us close and keeping us near.
Eph 4:29-30
this passage does warn us that defining unwholesome talk by a list of words is too low of a standard. For Paul, "corrupting talk" is first and foremost a matter of the intention of the heart. You can cruelly mock a person and not use one single bad word. You can post something that is meant to harm while not using certain offensive words. You can react vengefully while priding yourself that you haven't damned the person. If, as the family of God, we are ever going to address the culture of harmful reactivity that lives not just in the surrounding culture but also in our family, we must get below the level of vocabulary and shine the light of biblical wisdom on the thoughts, desires, and intentions of our hearts.
every word that comes out of our mouth finds its origin and formation in our heart (see Luke 6:43-45). Your reactions will only ever go where your heart has already gone.
"That it may give grace to those who hear. "
…everything you say, no matter when you say it, no matter who you say it to, and no matter what the topic is, must have grace as its goal… God's grace is anything but passive.
Like every other spiritual need, God meets our reactivity trouble with forgiving, rescuing, and transforming grace.
What attracted [Adam and Eve] was independent wisdom, that is, wisdom that wasn't connected to submission to God.
They desired the autonomous, self-sufficient existence that only God has. They wanted to be in the center of their world, free to think and live as they wanted. In that horrible self-centered, self-glorying moment they stepped outside of God's loving boundaries and paradise was no more.
In its essence, sin is about living for yourself. Sin is driven by what we want, when we want it, how we want it, and where we want it, no matter what. It is driven by no greater value than my wants, my needs, and my feelings. Sin is by its very nature anti-authority and antisocial. At its core, sin doesn't care who is in charge and how others are affected. Sin shrinks the field of my concern down to my own desires. It's me in the center, it's me in control, and it's me writing my own rules.
The culture of toxic reactivity is a culture of self-centeredness.
It's not hard to get at the root of our reactivity problem. The question is, Will we humbly confess the self-centeredness of sin that still seduces us all and takes our talk where our Creator never intended it to go?
Sin devalues relationships for the glory of self. Sin always ends up harming our relationships in some way.
Anything that harms this community harms us, stunts our growth, and moves us away from the life Jesus died to make possible for us.
Sin causes us to think of ourselves as way more righteous than we actually are and others as way more unrighteous than they actually are.
God makes his invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace.
For all the gargantuan ferocity of the righteous anger of God against sin, it is his goodness that causes us to listen, to hear, to believe, to confess, and to repent (Rom. 2:4). Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Change at the level of the human heart is always an act of God's grace.
"Now the works of the flesh are evident” Gal 5:19-21
It takes grace to invest the patience necessary to fully understand your opponent. It takes grace to answer him with calm wisdom.
It takes grace to respond lovingly to personal attack. It takes grace to work so that your emotions and your biases don't get in the way. It takes grace to be humbly approachable. It takes grace to speak the truth in love. It takes grace not to compromise Christian community in the name of truth. It takes grace to trust God to do what you are unable to accomplish in the life of another person. It takes grace to hold truth with humility and love. Godly reactions are always infused with grace.
Grace always moves toward others with the desire to respond in ways that are redemptive.
Luke 18:9-14 He was in the temple, but he was his own place and object of worship… a glory thief.
Self-glory destroys true religion and, because it does, it decimates your ability to then love your neighbor as yourself. Only the one who loves God above all else will ever love his neighbor as himself.
Finally, the psalm says that when fear of the Lord rules your heart, you are not afraid of bad news. You don't live afraid of the next attack, the next time you will be misunderstood, the next time your character or qualifications are called into question. Fear of the Lord will keep you from always looking for the next enemy around the corner. Fear of the Lord means you are getting your security and peace not from how people are responding to you, but from who the Lord is and from what he has done and is doing for you.
take a few moments to focus the eyes of your heart on the stunning glory of the Lord and the awesome glory of his grace. Each morning allow your self-glory to melt in the redeeming heat of divine glory. Allow fear of the Lord to disarm every other fear. And as you bask in the splendor of the glorious beauty of who he is, plead with your Lord to rescue you from you throughout the day.
Reactivity never comes from hearts at rest.
A failure to obey God's commands is never just a breaking of some abstract moral code; it is a breaking of the worship relationship you were created to have with the Lord of lords. Every act of disobedience is a denial of God's rightful place and an insertion of yourself into his place. This is why David, having committed adultery and murder said, "Against you, you only, have I sinned / and done what is evil in your sight" (Ps. 51:4).
Truth not spoken in love ceases to be the truth, because it gets bent, twisted, and distorted by other emotions and agendas.
A willingness to listen does more good than the demand to be heard.
You and I have the power to change the heart of no one. If you could change the heart of another person by the sheer power of your logic, or skill with words, or stubborn persistence, or force of your personality, or fearfulness of your threats, or power of your position, or size of your influence, then the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and the indwelling presence of the Spirit would not have been necessary. You and I are never the creators of change. We are only ever instruments in the hands of the one who alone has the power to create the only kind of human change that lasts change of heart. If you forget or deny your limits, you will end up doing and saying things you should not do or say and, in so doing, fail to create the change you had in mind.
We all tend to forget our limits and proudly try to do what only God can do. Perhaps as a parent you've fallen into thinking that raising the volume of your voice can change one of your children's hearts. Maybe your forgetfulness causes you to be comfortable with proudly destroying the logic of someone you're trying to win.
Having a perspective informed by the gospel is incredibly helpful here. Yes, we have been declared perfectly righteous because of the righteous life and acceptable sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. We positionally stand before God as righteous, but we are not actually perfectly righteous. We are in the process of becoming actually righteous. By the power of God's sanctifying grace, we are all in process. This means that sin still remains, with its moral impurity and its tendency to rebel. We don't always think in godly ways. We don't always desire what God desires for us. Our motives are often a mix of what is pure and what is impure. We are still capable of pride, hatred, and greed. There are moments when sin seems more attractive to us than obedience. We suffer from pockets of spiritual blindness and the inaccuracy of self-understanding that results. This means the war for the rulership of our hearts. still goes on.
May every reaction be shaped by a confession of limited righteousness.
we will dive into the oceanic glory of God's truth for all eternity and never reach the bottom.
We need to be willing to interact with one another with the heart of a student.
We need robe better at entering the world of others with a humble heart that loves others enough to want to listen with a hunger to know and understand. We need to value the stories of others because we believe in and worship the one who is the author of those stories.
Before you react, how about lovingly asking yourself, "Who is this person that I'm reacting to, what has her life been like, and what is going on in and around her right now?"
Knowledge is a way of thinking.
Wisdom is a way of living. Knowledge meditates on what is true.
Wisdom decides what is right to do. Knowledge is a commitment of the heart and mind to a body of truths. Wisdom is a commitment of everything you are and have to a way of living.
Becoming wise is never an event but rather a lifelong process.
Wisdom is humble, wisdom is kind, wisdom answers softly, wisdom is patient, wisdom is understanding, wisdom is generous, wisdom is forgiving, wisdom is just, wisdom loves mercy more than judgment, wisdom values character and God's honor over winning the day, wisdom doesn't hunt for enemies but makes many friends, and wisdom never flaunts its wisdom.
Wisdom that lacks patient humility and forgiving love is a form of "wisdom" that is not wise.
Live, react, respond, and pray as a wisdom-needy person.
We now carry in our purses and pockets a tool so incredibly powerful that forty years ago the thought of such a thing would have been seen as science fiction.
You and I do not have the option of living beyond the limits that God has set for us.
When it comes to the huge amount of hours spent on social media, time invested is time stolen. I am persuaded we get sucked into the toxicity that is around us because digital culture has become too valuable to us. In those moments when we could be investing in the various things God has called us to, we are thinking about things we don't need to think about and being tempted to respond in ways that we should not.
God is constantly doing for us, through us, and in us what we are too limited to do for ourselves or others.
Every day, in more ways than we tend to be aware of, we assign value to things.
a vast percentage of our worship takes place outside of Sunday morning formal worship. The worship that actually Shapes and directs your life is informal, often unnoticed, and takes place in the regular spaces, activities, and relationships of your daily life. Whether you know it or not, you never stop worshiping.
worship is a fundamental identity that all people share. To be human means you are a worshiping being…our hearts are always being ruled by something.
1. Everyone lives for some kind of treasure.
2. The thing that is your treasure will control your heart.
3.What controls your heart will control your words and behavior.
The Bible makes it clear that there are only two categories of treasure. Jesus says that your heart is captivated by either treasure on earth or treasure in heaven (Matt. 6). The apostle Paul says that you are either worshiping the Creator or worshiping the creation (Rom. 1). Everything we do or say is shaped, driven, and directed by one of these.
at street level, our allegiance is to another kingdom rather than his kingdom of righteousness, truth, and love.
When you really do value what God values, by grace you are being rescued from you.
Humbly confessing our functional idolatry is the first step in the change that is so desperately needed not just in the surrounding culture but in the Christian community as well. As we confess, we must remember that our problem is not just the control of evil desires in our hearts. The desire for even a good thing can become a bad thing if it becomes a ruling thing.
The problem is that so much of our contact with one another, so much of our ongoing conversation, and so much of our debate of the issues of the day are no longer personal but digital.
We allow ourselves to behave on social media in ways that are antisocial, not recognizing the value ofour ch tionships with one another.
Sin causes us to confuse unity with a demand for uniformity.
Character is of greater value than position or power.
Reading the account in Genesis should stop you in your tracks and take your breath away. It should fill you with wonder and awe. It should send you to your knees in worship and adoration. And it should change the way you think about yourself and every other human being that has, is, and will populate this little ball we call Earth.
Every created being or thing reflects the glory of God somehow, someway. Every created thing was made to be a finger pointing to the glory of its designer and Creator.
We must also be careful to say again and again, to ourselves and to one another, that we are also made in his image, that is, in his likeness. Let this sink in. By means of the intentionality of God's design, human beings are more like God than they are like the rest of creation.
when we forget, we treat people as less than image bearers. …We treat people as problems to be solved, not as those who bear God's likeness.
Most people don't tend to go to social media to love their neighbors as themselves or to give grace to a person who desperately needs grace.
As the conquering Savior King, all things have been placed under his feet. And because of that, he is our help and hope.
It is not natural for us to love our enemies. It is not natural for us to speak with words of grace to those who oppose what we know to be true. It's not natural for me to treat someone with respect whose lifestyle God says is immoral. Sinful anger is easier for me than righteous anger. So I am again confronted with the fact that I am a person in need of help, and I suspect that you are too.
If I am resting in his presence:
• I will always speak in a way that gives grace to the hearer (Eph. 4:29). Do your words always give grace?
• I will not let the sun go down on my anger (Eph. 4:26).
•I will commit to not think of myself more highly than I ought to think (Rom. 12:3).
You and I will only ever see ourselves accurately when we look at ourselves through the lens of his incalculable glory. Not thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think is much, much more than working to be humble. It is being humbled by opening your eyes to all that God is and all that you are not.
•I will live within my God-designed limits (Rom. 12:3). …being still and knowing that God is God is about what controls your conscious and not-so conscious meditation.
September 20, 2022
I highly recommend Reactivity. It is a short book and easily accessible. In it, Tripp challenges the reader to consider how they respond. When we look at social media, our eyes are immediately drawn to how often people are cruel, disrespectful, rude, and many other unbecoming descriptions. The author points out this is not necessarily anything new, nor a result of social media, but that social media plays on the worst of our sinful nature.
First, Tripp builds the case that our reactivity should not be normalized and directly goes against our call to love one another. Tripp proceeds to make an argument for how we should respond, a response marked wholesome talk that builds others up, infused with grace and understanding.
Tripp then looks at five themes of "any culture of reactive toxicity": sin, grace, identity, glory, and eternity. He describes the ways in which our reactions are shaped by sin, how we who have been changed by grace respond with grace no longer finding our identity in power, control, and acceptance, not seeking our own glory, and having hearts and minds set on the unchangeable fact that God will make all things new.
In the final five chapters Tripp points out other aspects of relationships and our reactions. As Christians, our most basic call is to be selfless, to deny ourselves and bearing our cross, follow Christ — selflessness is at the root of reacting with the fruit of the Spirit. Next, we must recognize our limits; we are not God, we do not know all things, we cannot change someone's heart, and we are not infinitely wise. The author then challenges the reader to consider their values. Do we realize what we worship and do we align our values with what God values (Gal. 5:22-26). Next, we are called to understand how the dignity of human beings changes the way we should look at and respond to people, whether we are interacting with them in person or online. In the final chapter, Tripp articulates the value and practical meaning of understanding God's presence. Rather than responding out of fear, we "response out of a deep belief in the presence, power, goodness, holiness, justice, and mercy of the Lord." (157).
Paul Tripp offers a wonderful contribution to Christian ethics in this short book. All Christians would do well to reflect and meditate on what Tripp says and how Scripture has called us to be holy as God is holy, demonstrating that we are followers of Jesus by how we love one another. I would recommend church leaders and sessions go through this book, and it would be a great addition for small groups to study through together.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review purposes. Comments are my own and any page references may change.
First, Tripp builds the case that our reactivity should not be normalized and directly goes against our call to love one another. Tripp proceeds to make an argument for how we should respond, a response marked wholesome talk that builds others up, infused with grace and understanding.
Tripp then looks at five themes of "any culture of reactive toxicity": sin, grace, identity, glory, and eternity. He describes the ways in which our reactions are shaped by sin, how we who have been changed by grace respond with grace no longer finding our identity in power, control, and acceptance, not seeking our own glory, and having hearts and minds set on the unchangeable fact that God will make all things new.
In the final five chapters Tripp points out other aspects of relationships and our reactions. As Christians, our most basic call is to be selfless, to deny ourselves and bearing our cross, follow Christ — selflessness is at the root of reacting with the fruit of the Spirit. Next, we must recognize our limits; we are not God, we do not know all things, we cannot change someone's heart, and we are not infinitely wise. The author then challenges the reader to consider their values. Do we realize what we worship and do we align our values with what God values (Gal. 5:22-26). Next, we are called to understand how the dignity of human beings changes the way we should look at and respond to people, whether we are interacting with them in person or online. In the final chapter, Tripp articulates the value and practical meaning of understanding God's presence. Rather than responding out of fear, we "response out of a deep belief in the presence, power, goodness, holiness, justice, and mercy of the Lord." (157).
Paul Tripp offers a wonderful contribution to Christian ethics in this short book. All Christians would do well to reflect and meditate on what Tripp says and how Scripture has called us to be holy as God is holy, demonstrating that we are followers of Jesus by how we love one another. I would recommend church leaders and sessions go through this book, and it would be a great addition for small groups to study through together.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review purposes. Comments are my own and any page references may change.
November 7, 2022
What do our online interactions and reactions reveal about our heart? In Reactivity, Paul David Tripp tells how the gospel transforms our actions and reactions.
In just over 150 pages, this timely and helpful book is a treasure of wisdom and biblical application. Tripp uses 12 chapters to expose and combat the toxic sins that have come from our social media.
A Lifestyle of Grace
Tripp sets the stage in Chapter 1, sharing what has been normalized: (1) Emotionally driven responses, (2) anger-driven responses, (3) disrespectful responses, (4) self-righteous responses, (5) vengeful responses, (6) individualism, (7) the love of controversy, and (8) tribalism. Tripp has written a cohesive and comprehensive book on the present-day dangers of social media.
I was most moved in Chapter 4, where Tripp gives a call to a lifestyle of grace. He says that “God makes his invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace.” I was motivated to be this type of person, especially when it comes to my social media interactions. To respond in grace is to be conformed to Christ, who demonstrates God’s grace toward us. This book is gospel-saturated, and biblically practical.
Presence and Rest
I was most interested in Chapters 5 and 6, where Tripp shows how our social media can give us false identities and glory. We must find our identity in being a child of God. Tripp calls it “glorious adopting grace.” This has purifying power over our online interactions. He reminds us that it the glory of God that should motivate us, and this eliminates our need for self-glory in social media. This book is worshipful, destroying our idols and putting God in his rightful place in our lives and over our social media.
This would make a great gift for pastors, parents, and teens who find themselves immersed in a dangerous digital culture. The book ends with a challenge to remember the presence of the Lord and to find our true rest in him. I am aware that my attitudes are often at odds with the gospel of grace. And I am resolved to temper my reactivity with the gospel — online and offline.
I received a media copy of Reactivity and this is my honest review.
In just over 150 pages, this timely and helpful book is a treasure of wisdom and biblical application. Tripp uses 12 chapters to expose and combat the toxic sins that have come from our social media.
A Lifestyle of Grace
Tripp sets the stage in Chapter 1, sharing what has been normalized: (1) Emotionally driven responses, (2) anger-driven responses, (3) disrespectful responses, (4) self-righteous responses, (5) vengeful responses, (6) individualism, (7) the love of controversy, and (8) tribalism. Tripp has written a cohesive and comprehensive book on the present-day dangers of social media.
I was most moved in Chapter 4, where Tripp gives a call to a lifestyle of grace. He says that “God makes his invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace.” I was motivated to be this type of person, especially when it comes to my social media interactions. To respond in grace is to be conformed to Christ, who demonstrates God’s grace toward us. This book is gospel-saturated, and biblically practical.
Presence and Rest
I was most interested in Chapters 5 and 6, where Tripp shows how our social media can give us false identities and glory. We must find our identity in being a child of God. Tripp calls it “glorious adopting grace.” This has purifying power over our online interactions. He reminds us that it the glory of God that should motivate us, and this eliminates our need for self-glory in social media. This book is worshipful, destroying our idols and putting God in his rightful place in our lives and over our social media.
This would make a great gift for pastors, parents, and teens who find themselves immersed in a dangerous digital culture. The book ends with a challenge to remember the presence of the Lord and to find our true rest in him. I am aware that my attitudes are often at odds with the gospel of grace. And I am resolved to temper my reactivity with the gospel — online and offline.
I received a media copy of Reactivity and this is my honest review.
July 22, 2023
I found it a helpful resource, though if you have read a lot of Tripp you will find it similar to his writings in other places, with direct application to the social media world. Though I found it helpful for general community life as well - it's basically a book on conflict and social media, so it is a good framework to help people "take the log out of their own eye" and remember identity in Christ among other things. I appreciated some of the areas expounded such as eternity, dignity, power, and the presence of Christ as important themes for living humbly and peaceably today and online.
It's helpful pastoral guide, not a comprehensive social media ethics manifesto. I think at the current moment, it's overpriced so publishers need to consider their intended audience. It's a book that is important for the masses and probably should be priced that way from an equity standpoint.
But the book itself is genuine and authentic and carries great value to generate humble self-reflection and God awareness. I would have liked to see him expand into some of the reconciliation arena more given that most of the book was mapping out origins of conflict and issues of the self. It could have been enriched and maybe been worth the sticker price had there been a strong dimension to help people be peacemakers and reconcile with others when things go wrong. But it does start with self-awareness and personal repentance and this book handles that arena really well.
It's helpful pastoral guide, not a comprehensive social media ethics manifesto. I think at the current moment, it's overpriced so publishers need to consider their intended audience. It's a book that is important for the masses and probably should be priced that way from an equity standpoint.
But the book itself is genuine and authentic and carries great value to generate humble self-reflection and God awareness. I would have liked to see him expand into some of the reconciliation arena more given that most of the book was mapping out origins of conflict and issues of the self. It could have been enriched and maybe been worth the sticker price had there been a strong dimension to help people be peacemakers and reconcile with others when things go wrong. But it does start with self-awareness and personal repentance and this book handles that arena really well.
January 17, 2025
First of all, I would like to thank my pastor of the Church that I attend for provoking my interest in this book by the following quote, which is found on page 133, specifically: "To be human means you are a worshiping being. Your heart, being the control center of your personhood, was designed by God to be a worship center. In other words, our hearts are always being ruled by something." After my pastor used that quote, I thought to myself: "Wow! What a deep and convicting quote.", so, I decided to buy it off of Amazon and I was pleasantly surprised by the way that this book convicted me.
Here are two other quotes from the book that really spoke to me at my core:
"And we need to live with the confidence that when we cry out for help, God willingly hears and answers, greeting us with grace that is more than up to the task. His grace guarantees a future when we will be free of this toxicity, but it also guarantees fresh starts and new beginnings right here, right now."
"I was confronted that day by a truth I have given my life to write and speak about: that God makes His invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace."
All in all, this book was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING in every sense of the word and I can't recommend it to anyone any more than I already have (if I could give it more than 5 stars on here, I would) so thank you, Paul, for writing this book.
Here are two other quotes from the book that really spoke to me at my core:
"And we need to live with the confidence that when we cry out for help, God willingly hears and answers, greeting us with grace that is more than up to the task. His grace guarantees a future when we will be free of this toxicity, but it also guarantees fresh starts and new beginnings right here, right now."
"I was confronted that day by a truth I have given my life to write and speak about: that God makes His invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace."
All in all, this book was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING in every sense of the word and I can't recommend it to anyone any more than I already have (if I could give it more than 5 stars on here, I would) so thank you, Paul, for writing this book.
January 6, 2023
This book truly convicted me! Gods grace and love is so great for each of us! Praying I will take the truths of these book and be humbled. May God give us the grace to live, act and react in the light of the mercies that we have already been given and the glories that are to come. Tripp has so many great biblical truths in this book!
'We are not islands. We all need builder-uppers around us. We all need encouragement. We all need loving rebuke. We all need insight. We all need fresh starts and new beginnings. We all need to know that we are not alone. We all need gifts of patience and grace along the way. We all need love; there are no haves and have-nots. Each of us needs to be built up and each of us is called to be a builder. This mutuality community is a beautiful gift from a wise and loving God. It seems that we have devalued this gift and viewed being right, winning the day, and putting someone in his or her place as being more valuable. The human community will continue to be harmed and our digital meeting places will continue to be dark and dangerous as long as tearing down seems more attractive than building up.' Pg 37/38
'We are not islands. We all need builder-uppers around us. We all need encouragement. We all need loving rebuke. We all need insight. We all need fresh starts and new beginnings. We all need to know that we are not alone. We all need gifts of patience and grace along the way. We all need love; there are no haves and have-nots. Each of us needs to be built up and each of us is called to be a builder. This mutuality community is a beautiful gift from a wise and loving God. It seems that we have devalued this gift and viewed being right, winning the day, and putting someone in his or her place as being more valuable. The human community will continue to be harmed and our digital meeting places will continue to be dark and dangerous as long as tearing down seems more attractive than building up.' Pg 37/38
October 24, 2023
“There is simply no exception clause to God’s holy and all encompassing command ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (151)
Wow. Tripp constantly seems to have the right words for exactly the right time. I thought this book would be ammunition for my “anti-social” media gun. While it makes no arguments against social media, it does discuss the toxic nature of interactions on social media. This book also addresses the toxic “reactivity” of our culture today. This book helps understand how interactions with others should be and also demonstrates how Christians should respond in the face of criticism, misrepresentation, and many other forms of “reactivity.” Tripp accomplishes this, crucially, by answering the question “why?”
To offer a literary critique, Tripp loves his lists. This one could get hard to read in large chunks for this reason…
For example Tripp often writes like this: “I like this book because I like the author. I like this book because of the topic. I like this book because the cover is yellow.”
Instead of: “I like this book because of the author, the topic, and the because the cover is yellow.”
Wow. Tripp constantly seems to have the right words for exactly the right time. I thought this book would be ammunition for my “anti-social” media gun. While it makes no arguments against social media, it does discuss the toxic nature of interactions on social media. This book also addresses the toxic “reactivity” of our culture today. This book helps understand how interactions with others should be and also demonstrates how Christians should respond in the face of criticism, misrepresentation, and many other forms of “reactivity.” Tripp accomplishes this, crucially, by answering the question “why?”
To offer a literary critique, Tripp loves his lists. This one could get hard to read in large chunks for this reason…
For example Tripp often writes like this: “I like this book because I like the author. I like this book because of the topic. I like this book because the cover is yellow.”
Instead of: “I like this book because of the author, the topic, and the because the cover is yellow.”
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