- 2011 Christianity Today Book Award winner

Jesus didn't see a sick woman, he saw a daughter of God. He didn't see an outcast from society, he saw a child of Israel. He didn't see a sinner, he saw a person in the image of the Creator.

Are we able to see others with the eyes of Jesus?

Seeing rightly is the beginning of renewal, forgiveness, healing and grace. Seeing rightly, says Mark Labberton, is the beginning of how our hearts are changed. Through careful self-examination in the Spirit, we begin to bear the fruit of love toward others that can make a difference. Here is a chance to reflect on why our ordinary hearts can be complacent about the evils in the world and how we can begin to see the world like Jesus.

With each chapter broken into brief segments punctuated by questions, this book is ideal for both personal reflection and group discussion.

See what happens when you take a chance on the dangerous act of loving your neighbor. Your vision might just be changed forever.



Mark Labberton is the former president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He previously served as Lloyd John Ogilvie chair for preaching and director of the Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute for Preaching. Prior to that, Labbertonwas senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California. He has also served as chair of John Stott Ministries. Today he continues to contribute to the mission of the global church as a senior fellow of the International Justice Mission. He is the author of The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor and The Dangerous Act of Worship.



Introduction: The Injustice of the Heart



Part I: Discovering Where We Live



1 Our Address



2 Paying Attention to Paying Attention



Sabbath Encouragement



Part II: Seeing



3 The Problem of Misperceiving



4 Learning to See



5 Self-Seeing



6 The Crux



Sabbath Encouragement



Part III: Naming



7 Choosing Names



8 A New Name



9 Social Naming



10 Distorted Names



11 Changing Names



Sabbath Encouragement



Part IV:Acting



12 Free To Act



13 Suffering



14 Practicing Dignity



15 The Act of Worship



Sabbath Encouragement



Conclusion: Just Hope



Group Discussion Guide



Acknowledgments



"[The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor] can help a congregation experience profound insight into both God's character and our practical response to God's mission in the world."



"The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor is a thoughtful read for Christian readers, very highly recommended."



"Labberton has brought all this experience to bear in writing a book that should be read and studied by everyone who is serious about seeing the world as God sees it and becoming a person who lives the transforming power of God's justice in the world."



"Extremely well written, this book is meant to be read slowly. Labberton's writing is thoughtful, provocative, and penetrating. He provokes self-reflection, which is neither easy nor flattering. Be prepared to have your paradigm shifted and your distracted heart refocused. Recommend to pastors and group leaders."



"Labberton's most recent 'dangerous' installment challenges readers to reflect on why the heart can become complacent about the world and its needs. Labberton encourages readers to first see rightly, the beginning of how our hearts are changed."



"Beckmann, president of the Christian non-profit Bread for the World, lays out his case not just for the priority of dealing with hunger, but also for the need to deal with it with political solutions, not just through charity. Labberton argues persuasively that engaging injustice in the world must go hand in hand with a renewal of our hearts."



"This book is a refreshingly honest, very important resource for all followers of Christ. More and more people in the church today are reawakening to the importance of not just sharing, but also showing their faith. Mark Labberton gets back to basics in this book, reminding us all just why this shift is important. What is our motivation? Why must we serve? Labberton's authenticity, combined with practical ideas and steps for personal reflection, will deeply challenge and encourage all seeking to be faithful disciples of Christ."



"This is a well-researched volume filled with hpe and encouragement for Christians who want to seek justice and help fulfill God's purpose of establishing a kingdom free of abuse of power toward His people. Readers who want a fresh understanding of this call will treasure the ground Labberton treads."



"Operating as a workbook for personal growth, this may very well help promote change for a better world."



"The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor asks important questions, deeper questions we may not have thought to ask yet in our pursuit of justice, and ones that will take a lifetime to answer. We say we want justice, but our self-centric hearts betray us. So how do we override our hearts? This book opened my eyes to the difference between doing something and becoming someone--a person of justice, reoriented to the heart of Jesus."