Love Has a Name

June 29, 2020
Pastor Weber (Talking With God) delves into how to “love one another” in this sparkling work. Weber builds his message presenting vignettes from the lives of 27 people as modern-day parables, each of which is supplemented by related Bible stories. Each chapter highlights someone who has either loved the author or who Weber has struggled to love, including his friend Brett, who was born with cerebral palsy and with whom Weber found a deep love and friendship; Tony, a member of Weber’s church who’s also a drag queen; and Bill, a drug dealer, sex offender, and the author’s former neighbor. Weber challenges readers to embody Christ-like love by befriending those whose stories differ from their own. Instead of judging or trying to fix others (which the author reminds is Jesus’s job, not theirs), Weber promotes seeking common ground, listening to others, and showing respect for differing points of view. Though Weber’s prose is conversational, at times it skews too far toward youth pastor—such as when he gushes about Justin Bieber (“the Biebs”) or borrows his kids’ expression “boom roasted.” Both Christian adults and teens will find Weber’s approach to learning to love practical and personally challenging.