Jesus: safe, tender, extreme (by Adrian Plass)

(Amazon UK link)

I regularly read my collection of books by the British Christian writer Adrian Plass. I love his fiction, particularly the humorous ‘diaries’ that made him so well-known in the Christian world. But I also appreciate his non-fiction, more so each time I read a book.

It’s just over ten years since I read ‘Jesus: safe, tender, extreme’ so it was more than time for another reread. I knew that it was going to be interesting, with the author’s personal spin on Jesus, but I hadn’t remembered anything much about the content as such.

The prologue introduces us to Adrian Plass’s mother-in-law who was living in their dining room as he started the book. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and wanted to die at home with her family. Clearly she was a lovely, radiant woman and an inspiration to much of what follows in the book.

It’s divided into three sections: safe Jesus, tender Jesus and extreme Jesus. And while, at times, I had difficulty distinguishing them in the way that was intended, I still very much appreciated what was said. As with the author’s other non-fiction writing, there’s a good balance of personal anecdote, incidents from the life of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels, and his own commentary as he pulls together the different strands.

At the end of each section, there are several shorter articles, each one demonstrating, in some way, how Jesus comes into daily life in the three somewhat distinct areas covered.

Jesus is safe, according to Adrian Plass, in that he is our refuge, that we are always loved, always cared for, and always forgiven. Life might sometimes take a negative turning, and things may fall apart around us; but it’s safe, always, to go to the arms of Jesus. Easier said than done, of course; but the topic is written about with sensitivity, and I found it helpful. I could identify with some of the incidents described in the conclusion of this section, too. 

The tenderness of Jesus overlaps to some degree; but in this section the author looks more at the compassionate nature of Jesus. He cared deeply about those around him, he identified with their feelings. He even, famously, wept. Some of the writing in this section is deeply moving, and the incidents at the end, again, resonated strongly. 

The extreme nature of Jesus goes alongside both of the other facets, as he challenges people - in the gospels, and still today - to take what might seem to be risks, or to move outside their general comfort zones. A risk is not actually a risk if it’s part of God’s leading, but it’s not always easy to put aside our own worries and fears.  

I love the way Adrian Plass writes. It’s straightforward without ever being condescending. It’s grounded in Scripture without feeling ‘religious’. And his self-deprecating humour doesn’t feel like false modesty, even though he clearly plays down what he does well; instead, it makes it easy to like him, to take in what he says, and to apply it to one’s own life.

At the end are a series of prayers, relevant to the content; it’s a pity they weren’t scattered through the book in appropriate places, but they’re still worth reading and praying. Maybe one day when I reread this yet again I will remember they’re there, and turn to them after reading each section.

Highly recommended to anyone struggling in the Christian life, or wanting to follow more closely, or just wanting to know more about who Jesus was and is. Sadly it's no longer in print, and used paperbacks can be very expensive, though it may be more reasonable in hardback. But it's also available for the Kindle. 

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