Practicing the Presence of People

Subtitle:  How we learn to love

(a book review by Tyrone)  I just finished reading this book.

Mike Mason, being highly motivated by Brother Lawrence's book The Practice of the Presence of God, felt knowing how to practice the presence of people should go 'hand-in-hand' with knowing God.

Here is the original book description:  In the deepest part of our hearts and souls is the desire to love well. Yet in our struggle to do so, we learn that, as Mike Mason puts it, "We are not born with love; it is something we must learn." Now, in Practicing the Presence of People, he helps us launch that learning process. Mason points the way to fresh knowledge and fresh experience, showing how we can discover new things about those we love, understand them from the inside out, tenderly identify with their weaknesses, and celebrate that they too were lovingly made by the hand of God.

I think Mike makes some mistakes and gets a little personally creative with his thoughts about God and scripture, but I believe the majority of the book endorses, encourages, and pushes us towards realizing that if we can never love our neighbor/'brother' who we can see, how can we love God who we can't see?

It gives some excellent examples and writing for what it means to Mike to really take stock in people (who are the church, not the building) and really test our love and limitations with these people.

Jesus himself continues all thru the new testament telling us that if we serve or love all kinds of people we are doing it for him. Relationship(s) is a key element in the Bible whether it be between us and our neighbor or God and his people.

There were parts of the book I personally did not agree with but overall thought the book was very successful at helping us see the importance of people and our relationships, and how it effects our lives and relationship with God.