No Greater Love by Rebecca McLaughlin | Book Review
A few months ago as I expressed my struggles in a specific friendship to my mentor, she recommended that I read No Greater Love. I am no stranger to Rebecca McLaughlin’s work, but with a TBR that is miles long, this book wasn’t super high up. But when someone who knows the ins and outs of my current struggles tells me to read something, it gets bumped to the top. And thus I started 2024 by reading this gold mine of a book.
The Book - No Greater Love: A Biblical Vision for Friendship
Following the basis of Jesus’ words in John 15:13, that the greatest love is displayed when one lays down his life for his friends, McLaughlin walks through a love that has been neglected in our current culture. Showing us both the beauty and the brokenness that comes from deep friendships, she points toward the way biblical friendships can push us into deeper communion with our ultimate friend, Jesus.
McLaughlin tackles hard subjects like not being in the inner ring and being same-sex-attracted in opposite- and same-sex friendships which grace. Pulling from her own experiences and scripture, she speaks of the beauty that can be found in deep friendships.
“Just as thanksgiving is the antidote to filthiness and crude joking, so love is the antidote to sexual immorality.” (pg. 129)
My Thoughts
In a season of deeply struggle in one specific friendship, this book was exactly what I needed to pull me along and point me toward a view a friendship that would lead me to Christ, not to myself.
The chapter that impacted me most was chapter 8: brothers and sisters. In this chapter, McLaughlin talks about both same-sex and opposite-sex friendships. She talks about her struggles with same-sex-attraction, and how that impacts her friendships. As someone who shares in that struggle, this chapter helped me greatly in my view of friendship.
Throughout the book, McLaughlin quotes scripture, bringing friendship into the fold of Christ. She says in the introduction, “I thoroughly believe that God directs my life, but rarely does He let me see the script.” This one sentence drew me deep into this book, relating deeply to the thought of not knowing what my life will hold.
I would highly recommend any Christian read this book. A biblical view of friendship is key to being in community and being a part of the body of Christ. Genesis 2:18 tells us that it is not good for man to be alone. This verse in not just about marriage. Married or single, we need deep, solid friendships to guide us closer to the cross.