53 pages • 1 hour read
Bob GoffLove Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Faith in Action
The foremost theme of faith in action permeates Love Does. The book is essentially a manifesto of has belief that faith, when truly lived, is an active, engaging force that propels individuals into a life of action and purpose. Goff challenges the notion of a passive faith, one that is content with thought without manifestation in deeds.
The title and recurring refrain “Love Does” is a succinct encapsulation of the theme of faith in action. “Love Does” is the thesis statement that underpins every chapter. Goff uses it as a constant reminder of his message that love, as a core principle of faith, is not a passive state but an active force. This simple phrase becomes a call to arms for anyone seeking to live out their faith in a tangible and meaningful way. The phrase “Love Does” says that love is defined not by sentiment or feeling alone but by the actions it inspires. It is a love that is visible in the world through deeds of kindness, service, and generosity. The phrase echoes throughout the narrative, reinforcing the idea that the true measure of one’s faith is found in one’s willingness to act on that faith—to make love a verb rather than a noun. The phrase ties the book’s various anecdotes and stories together and also ties the concept of faith to the practical outworking of love in everyday life. In aligning love with action, Goff aligns himself with the biblical admonition that love must be demonstrated through one’s dealings with others: faith in action.
Goff’s promotion of faith in action is also an open rejection and critique of other forms of faith practices. He rejects what he views as commonplace complacency in faith by asserting that Christian love is intrinsically linked to action. Goff points out a common pitfall where individuals often postpone their active pursuit of faith for the sake of convenience or due to the distractions of daily life:
Living a life fully engaged and full of whimsy and the kind of things that love does is something most people plan to do, but along the way they just kind of forget. Their dreams become one of those “we’ll go there next time” deferrals (xv).
Goff criticizes this tendency to delay, presenting it as the essence of a faith not fully realized—a faith that is more of an abstract concept than a concrete way of living. He posits that love is dynamic and seeks to express itself through interaction with the world. As he states, “I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about it” (17). This statement underlines the idea that love, and by extension faith, requires more than contemplation; it demands expression and embodiment in the tangible acts of daily life. The book, then, proposes a model of faith that is not merely a mental exercise but that must be visible and tangible in the world.
Ultimately, Love Does advocates for a faith that is lived in action and takes the steps to actualize those dreams in the world. It calls for a shift from a passive faith to one that is actively engaged in the act of loving others, thus fulfilling the practical requirements for Goff of what it means to live a life of faith.
Adventure and Risk-Taking
The theme of adventure in Goff’s narratives is a metaphor for the Christian life. This theme of adventure carries spiritual implications, suggesting that knowing God and following Christ is not a static or predictable journey but one that is dynamic, unexpected, and deeply personal, or as Goff puts it, “I used to think knowing God was like going on a business trip with Him, but now I know He’s inviting me on an adventure instead” (128). By portraying his faith journey as an exciting, sometimes irreverent, experience, Goff increases its appeal, helping to further the book’s evangelical purpose.
Goff’s portrayal of spiritual adventure shifts the paradigm from a traditional, rule-bound faith to an experiential, relationship-driven journey with God. He proposes that faith is less about achieving perfection or adhering to a religious checklist, and more about responding to God’s personal invitation to each individual, which often leads into the unknown. This reflects Goff’s specific belief in God as less interested in compliance to a set of rules and more interested in a relationship that transforms and evolves. The “ten-year-old adventures“ of Goff’s children illustrates Goff’s belief that God tailors his calling to the unique needs of every person and that God’s will is discovered and fulfilled in the context of individual desires, passions, and circumstances. This resonates with the modern Christian concept of vocation—where God calls individuals not to a generic path but to a specific journey that aligns with their created purpose.
The adventurousness Goff describes is characterized by trust and spontaneity, qualities that Jesus emphasized to his followers. Like children who trust their father to lead them into exciting experiences, Christians are invited to trust God’s leadership, even when the destination is unknown. This theme invites believers to step out of their comfort zones, suggesting that spiritual growth often occurs in the realm of the unfamiliar and the uncomfortable. Goff’s anecdotes about adventures with his children, such as navigating a sailboat to Hawaii or the physical trials of hiking Half Dome, echo this theme. They emphasize that it’s through challenging experiences that one gains insight, strength, and resilience. Adventure, in this light, becomes a metaphor for life’s journey, punctuated with trials that, while often difficult, are opportunities for personal and spiritual transformation.
The idea of adventure also addresses the fear of unpredictability and loss of control. By framing the Christian life as an adventure, Goff implies that the unpredictable elements are not to be feared but embraced as opportunities to experience God’s faithfulness. Goff uses the metaphor of a crash during a bicycle ride:
I think God sees our failed launches in the same way. He sees us flying over the handlebars in slow motion, and while He never wants to see us hurt, He knows it can happen from time to time when we live a life of total engagement (134).
This challenges the natural human desire for security and predictability, inviting Christians to find their security not in the known and the seen, but in the character and promises of God. In the broader context of Christianity, Goff’s message to relinquish control draws on the historical Christian mystics who spoke of the spiritual journey as a pilgrimage—a metaphorical adventure toward union with the divine. It echoes the call of Abraham to leave his country for an unknown land God would show him, the disciples dropping their nets to follow Jesus, and Paul’s missionary journeys across the Roman world. In each case, the adventure is an uncertain but purposeful movement towards deeper intimacy with God and a greater understanding of His kingdom.
Personal Growth Through Love
The exploration of personal growth through love in Love Does is characterized by a shift from traditional religious perceptions to a more intimate and forgiving understanding of the divine. Central to Goff’s narrative is the reimagining of God not as a stern judge but as a compassionate healer, a change encapsulated in Goff’s imagery of God caring for the wounded despite the messiness and pain. For instance, the portrayal of God, “seen through a bloody eye, scooping me into His arms, getting blood all over His shirt, and carrying me away to get healed” (108), conveys a raw and intimate form of love that seeks to restore rather than punish. This depiction challenges the notion of divine displeasure in response to human shortcomings, proposing instead that love’s true nature involves embracing imperfection and fostering healing. Such an image implies that personal growth is rooted in the acceptance of one’s flaws and the recognition of love’s redemptive power.
Additionally, the reflection on fear of success in trivial pursuits, “I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter“ (25), speaks to the transformative impact of love on personal priorities and values. It suggests that love imparts a clarity that allows one to discern what is truly significant, prompting a re-evaluation of one’s goals and actions. The sentiment underscores the role of love as a guiding principle that informs and shapes one’s journey towards personal fulfillment and growth.
In Love Does, the love that catalyzes personal growth is intrinsically tied to the concept of God’s grace. Grace, within the Christian tradition, is understood as the unmerited favor of God—a kindness and forgiveness granted not because of anything individuals have done to earn it, but because of God’s inherent goodness and love for His creation. Goff’s portrayal of God as a healer who embraces the wounded and seeks their restoration aligns with this concept of grace. It suggests that personal growth stems from an encounter with divine love that is generous and unconditional.
This interpretation of grace as a healing, restorative force differs from some Christian traditions that emphasize human unworthiness and the need for penitence. Goff’s approach is more akin to the Christian mystic tradition, which often views grace as an enveloping presence that brings individuals into a closer, more loving relationship with God, regardless of their imperfections. Furthermore, Goff’s perspective compares favorably with the Protestant emphasis on grace as central to salvation and the Christian life. It contrasts, however, with viewpoints that place a stronger emphasis on sacramental or ritual observance as means of receiving grace, as seen in some branches of Christianity. In such traditions, personal growth is often framed within the context of participation in communal rites and adherence to ecclesiastical authority. Goff’s focus on the individual’s direct and personal experience of God’s love and grace also diverges from those traditions that stress the role of the church community as the primary context for experiencing God’s grace. In contrast, Goff seems to advocate for a more individualistic spirituality where the personal and spontaneous encounter with God stands central.
The theme of personal development also addresses personal failures, setbacks, and human fallibility. In the broader Christian tradition, suffering is not only transformative but also a point of identification with Christ. The New Testament teaches that sharing in Christ’s sufferings is part of the Christian calling (Philippians 3:10). This resonates with the concept of “taking up one’s cross”—a call to embrace the trials and sacrifices inherent in following Jesus. The transformative aspect of this suffering is central: it’s not suffering for its own sake but suffering that leads to a deeper communion with God and a more profound expression of faith.
Goff’s reflections challenge the contemporary aversion to discomfort and suffering. Instead of avoiding hardship, he suggests that facing it head-on is part of the adventure that God invites believers into. This perspective doesn’t trivialize pain but places it within a larger narrative where God is actively working to bring good from it. In spiritual life, then, trials are not obstacles but pathways to transformation. They are the means by which individuals are not only changed but also by which their trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty is deepened. The adventure of faith, with its inevitable trials, becomes a journey of becoming more like Christ, who Himself was “made perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10). Thus, in the Christian understanding, adventures and the trials they involve are integral to the transformative journey of becoming who God has created and redeemed individuals to be.
In sum, Love Does presents a view of love and grace that is individualistic and experiential, resonating with Christian traditions that prioritize personal relationship with God and the transformative power of His grace in daily life. Overall, Goff sees personal growth as a process guided by a love that is forgiving and inherently transformative. It is a journey that does not shy away from the messiness of life but embraces it, allowing love to work through the fabric of one’s experiences, turning every misstep and triumph into an opportunity for deeper understanding and connection with the divine.
