The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness

A sermon book-ified; I could have read a 200 page work on this topic. It is a one-sitting kind of book and well worth it. Keller beautifully notes the freedom found in the idea that humility is “not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less” and goes through Paul's letter in 1 Corinthians 3:21-4:7 where Paul considers pride and praise.

This is an absolutely incredible book. Very short and very packed with insights. Tim Keller did an incredible job of calling out our narcissism and pointing us to Christ. This is for the person who struggled with “low self-esteem”. This is for the person who struggles with pride. This is a must read for every Christian because we've all fit into one of those two categories and probably both. This book will take you 1 hour to read and benefit you a lifetime if you're paying attention.

A Christian Case For A Phenomenon Many Realize As They Mature. In this short text - right around 40 pages or so - Christian theologian Timothy Keller makes a Biblical case for getting onself to the point of both self acceptance and no longer caring what anyone thinks of you. He spins this through his own worldview and builds his case based primarily on a text from 1 Corinthians - and both cites it within its context and doesn't directly appeal to any other texts to “prove” his points, thus earning a rare 5* rating from me for a Christian nonfiction book. Solid within its frame, as noted here there are other methods for achieving the very same state Keller claims is only possible for Christians, which hurts his case objectively but which is understandable within the author's own mindset. Very much recommended.

The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness fits into that category of books where it's so small but so incredibly rich and insightful that it needs to be read twice a year (at least!) Keller's querying of the human heart, centring around it's ego and subsequent prideful state at times, had me reflecting on my own sense of pride and a lot of questions came up which will no doubt shape a lot of my thoughts and actions henceforth.