Are We Special? The Truth and the Lie about God’s Chosen People
Authors: Jeffrey S. Reber, PhD, and Stephen P. Moody, MSW
Publisher: Deseret Book
Published Date: 2013
Softcover/DB Bookshelf ebook: 266 pages
Genre: Religious Nonfiction
ISBN# 978-1609075163
Reviewed by: Shanda
FTC FYI: received a temporary digital review copy that will be removed from my device by the publisher after a short time
Summary
Have you ever felt you might be special?
Where does that feeling come from—and what does it really mean?
The truth is that we are special, because we are all beloved children of our Heavenly Father, and we enjoyed a special, personal relationship with Him before coming to earth. Having left His presence, we feel a void, a homesickness that reminds us that we are more than mortal beings and inclines us toward our Father and His love.
But we are sometimes persuaded by the lie that we are more special than others. The lie lifts us above others, creates feelings of entitlement, and convinces us that the void we feel signifies our personal destiny for glory. It inclines us to seek fame, prestige, or wealth as proof of our superiority over others.
Each of us is constantly enticed by this truth and this lie, and we respond to both using four strategies to manage our acceptance or denial, each with its defining feature of pride, despair, selfishness, or true discipleship. In Are We Special? authors Jeffrey Reber and Steven Moody show us how to increase our acceptance of the truth and denial of the lie in order to become true disciples of Jesus Christ.
Review
I love a clean cover with lots of white space and simple, eye-catching art. With a question for a title and the dichotomy of the subtitle, I was intrigued from the start. How can our being “special” be both a truth AND a lie? It definitely urged me to read on and find out how it all fit together.
Being told all throughout childhood that we were a special generation that would lead the way into the millennium, etc., unintentionally encouraged me to have a somewhat inflated attitude regarding myself and those of my generation in the Church.There is an emphasis in my generation’s culture about feeling special and making sure your kids feel special. I have always felt like there was something wrong with that but couldn’t quite explain why. Now I understand that it isn’t recognizing that we are special that’s the problem, it’s feeling MORE special than someone else that is the real issue.
The authors state that being separated from our Father in Heaven during our time in mortality creates a void that Satan takes advantage of, tempting us to follow selfish, denigrating interests to fill what only a close relationship with our Father can only ever truly fill. It is that strong and special bond we enjoyed before this life that we miss and often end up trying to replace with empty, meaningless and even harmful pursuits.
They go on to explain the TRUTH and the LIE: While we, as children of God, are indeed special to Him, as members of the Church, we might mistakenly consider ourselves of more worth to Heavenly Father than His other children. We ARE special to our Heavenly Father, but we are not MORE special to Him.
“We can believe the adversary’s lie and try to fill our void with the false belief that we are better than others rather than lowly and humble servants of all.” –Are We Special?
The chapter examining the Pharisees had the most impact on me. I am guilty of sitting in Sunday School, answering “No” to the question, “Are you like the Pharisees of old?” After reading this section, I have learned there is a subtlety to these Pharisaical characteristics that, at one time or another, I have indeed been guilty of possessing.
Another section that really stood out to me was entitled “Sin and Perfection.” I have had issues with perfectionism most of my life, and there was one sentence that opened my eyes in a way that nothing else has previously. The authors explain that the root of the word translated into “perfect” in certain scriptures of the Bible means “whole” or “complete,” which I had previously known but had never considered in the context of my current relationship with my Savior:
“Perfection, understood relationally, is not a property of the individual; it is a quality of relationship with the divine.” –Are We Special?
The authors don’t just focus on the ways we struggle with being self-centered, modern-day Pharisees. They also discuss how we can be true disciples of Christ, submitting our will to His and accepting the fullness of His love so that we can truly love others.
He delighted in the happiness of others, the happiness He could bring them. –Are We Special?
They encourage readers to take time to meditate and reflect, staying mindful about activities and if they are helping to develop a closer relationship with Christ. Each chapter and section is full of layers and depth that I did not expect and that have changed so much about the way I view myself and others, including my Savior and Father in Heaven. Everything relates back to the Savior and His Atonement for us, as well as the immense and incomprehensible Love that He and Heavenly Father have for every one of us.
Without hesitation, I recommend this book to everyone. There is wisdom and insight in this book to which my review cannot do justice. I will be purchasing copies of Are We Special? for myself and several loved ones. Visit the links below to learn more about Are We Special?, the authors, and how to purchase a copy for yourself.
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