A Life Less Punishing by Matt Heath

 A Life Less Punishing: 10 Ways to Love the Life You’ve Got written by Kiwi radio personality Matt Heath, was essentially a book about grace. A type of self-help book, Heath, surprisingly, highlighted the sinful human condition with great clarity; we think much higher of ourselves than we ought, our worlds revolve around our self-centred inner worlds, and we crave and lust after things we think will complete our lives but they simply don’t. We quickly lose interest in the latest “new thing” and then start the look out for the next thing. 

There is much freedom in the advice he gives: instead of searching for the perfect friend, focus on the one you’ve got and settle there, when you’ve monumentally failed or embarrassed yourself remember that no one will remember you in a couple of centuries… so much like Ecclesiastes- we are but dust and will return to dust. He essentially comes to the conclusion that we’re not that important and we can learn to laugh at ourselves, let go of our foolish mistakes and forgive the foolish mistakes of others. 

An old quote of Amy Carmichael’s says  “in acceptance lieth peace” which lines up beautifully with Heath’s message. The only thing he’s missing is the truth that God can save us from ourselves, because we can’t. 

In reference to annoyances like tangled Christmas lights he says “It’s annoying because somewhere deep down we believe we live in a universe where lights stay in perfect formation. When in fact we live in one that moves toward chaos.” This expresses the friction between a world that was created in perfection but fell into disarray and chaos as a result of the fall. 

And a final quote that was worth considering “…humans have always had a lot to worry about forever. The best of them, however, focused their energies where it was most helpful, got on with the day to day, worked together and survived. They looked after friends, loved and brought up families- and did it all despite the endless doom and gloom.” In this quote it reflects the gospel message to love one another, and also that love covers a multitude of sins. 

This book allowed for significant thoughts of a deeply theological nature. We’re not the centre of the universe, we will get things terribly wrong yet somehow in living a quiet life of loving and forgiving our neighbours, and simply doing the next thing in front of us, God is there bringing about His purposes while weaving His beauty and grace in the midst.