The Ragamuffin Gospel

I started reading a book the other day called "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning. I haven't gotten very far through it, but it seems like the kind of life-changing book that Andy, Brielle and I were talking about at church this past Sunday. The reason I mention this is because of the "word before", or introduction, to the book. It is refering to the book itself, but I found it extremely applicable to the book that this book describes (the Bible- number one on my list of top influential books) and I wanted to share a bit of it with you.

"This book is not for the superspiritual.
It is not for muscular Christians who have made John Wayne and not Jesus their hero.
It is not for academicians who would imprison Jesus in the ivory tower of exegesis.
It is not for the noisy, feel-good folks who manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion.
It is not for hooded mystics who want magic in their religion.
It is not for Aleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desolation.
It is not for the fearless and tearless.
It is not for red-hot zealots who boast with the rich young ruler of the gospels: "All these commandments I have kept from my youth".
It is not for the complacent, hoisting over their shoulder a tote-bag of honors, diplomas, and good works actually believing they have made it.
It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls than run the risk of living in uinion with Jesus.

It is for the sorely bedraggled, beat-up and burnt-out.
It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it all together and are too proud to accept the hand-out of grace.
It is for the inconsistent , unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker.
It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents.
It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay.
It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God.
It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scalawags."

Except that the Bible is written for all of the above. While humans can write books that apply to a broad range of people, God creates a book for everyone, that probably makes us feel like we should belong in that group of people described in the last line. We have no clue what to do with ourselves. Unless we ask God. I'm excited to read more about what Brennan Manning has to say about a gospel written for people who don't have it all figured out. More to follow.

Please also feel free to post your top 5 most life-changing and influential books... yes, children's books count.