“What Matters Most” is a thought provoking book by Leonard Sweet revealing how we have substituted rules about Christianity in place of a relationship with Christ.  Sweet writes, “We are more in love with our principles of peace, than we are with the Prince of Peace.”  Reminiscent of Revelation 2:4 he points out that we’ve lost our first love – Jesus.

Throughout the book he emphasizes the importance of relationships even at the risk of being somewhat iconoclastic in his treatment of Abraham.  He writes that Abraham did well on obedience but not so well in his relationship with God.  This seems to be a different interpretation than the writer of Hebrews held as he wrote in 11:17, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;”   Abraham was commended for his faith and the reason is given in 11:19, “He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.”  The author of Hebrews commended Abraham for his faith in the promise of God while believing that nothing was too difficult for God – even bringing Isaac back from the dead.

Overall, Sweet’s book is a good corrective on helping us to see the importance of relationships.  He points out the primacy of our relationship with God as he writes, “If you would speak to others with authority, you must first speak to God with intimacy” (p. 16).  This is a helpful book for strengthening your relationship with God, with others, and the created order.  There is an in-depth study guide included in the book that is a helpful resource for small groups.  (I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review).