An elderly friend of mine called about a troubling book she was reading. It was a compilation of quotations, none of which came with context. Listed were dozens of requirements for entrance into heaven. Given a thousand years she could not meet the necessities.
I told her to chuck the book and focus on the life of Jesus. The Gospel is wonderfully simple and simply wonderful. Over and over Jesus erased the sources of fear. Authors who are religious bean counters are totally misguided. They need to memorize Jesus’ words, “Come to me when you are troubled and I will give you rest.”
My friend gave me many books from her late husband’s library. The authors made the Gospel sound like cutting butter with a chain saw. I trashed most of the books. I meditated on Jesus’ words, “My peace I give to you.”