Rating:

The Noticer is a nice story but completely gives a completely false dose of reality. The basic premise is that if you think positively, then positive things will happen to you. If you surround yourself with successful people, then you too will become positive. If you just think about things in a positive way, then life becomes that much more wonderful. The book centers around a man named “Jones” who steps in and out of people’s lives, encouraging them to notice the positive and to make changes in their lives. These stories are miracle stories; marriages are saved, lives changed, businesses created, children inspired.

My main issue with the book is that it is once again the “pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality. No where is there any persuasion to depend on Christ, to completely cast all your cares upon Him. There is also an underlying assumption that suffering is only due to self-made problems. Scripture clearly teaches that we will have suffering because we are servants of Christ. We learn more through our suffering oftentimes than when life is great.

What is so appealing about this book though, is that there is a little bit of truth hidden amongst the pages. We are in control of how we think and act. Rather than practicing “happiness” to gain success, one should practice being content and resting in who God is. It is a practice and one must continue to work at it. We shouldn’t merely accept the bad things but instead of just wanting a better life, we should be longing to be sanctified and grow more in knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Filed under: Book Reviews