Theo of Golden by Allen LeviMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was astoundingly good.
It feels “squishy liberal” at several points, but is actually deep with solid Christian theology under the surface. Communion and Incarnation especially. The emphasis is on beauty and the dignity of each person, reflected in their faces in their portraits. Most people just don’t bother to look – really look – at faces and people. A few would even rather smash them.
Theo (“God” in Greek) would rather encourage the dignity and saintly capabilities in every person. He draws out everyone’s deepest joys and hurts and their life stories as he encounters them, by listening well, and asking the right questions at the right time. I found myself thinking often that he is the ideal pastor.
I think one of the main themes is this:
Focus on the other person, not yourself. Get to know them. Love them. Meet their needs however you can. Encourage their potential. Show up for them.
Few of us do this well, me included. Be we can all learn gently how to do better from a story like this.
Theo is a slow-pace kind of story. Be patient with it. Absorb each person’s life – that’s the whole point. If you can’t take the time to let someone else in, you won’t have the time for this book, either. But you need to learn to do so.
4 stars.
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