Wasabi Gospel

Book excerpt: Have you ever eaten wasabi? That dainty green blob on your sushi plate may look pretty tame, but take a taste--or even a whiff--and you'll find that little dollop packs a powerful punch to your senses! Jesus also looks pretty innocuous at first glance. He's the Good Shepherd, after all, the Prince of Peace. "Love your neighbor," he says. "Forgive others." If we take a closer look at those red-lettered words, however, we'll find that some of the most tame and sappy-sounding things Jesus said actually pack the most punch. Wasabi Gospel brings seven well-known gospel passages to life, unpacking their real significance and exploring what life would really look like if we lived out those seemingly-subtle commands of Christ. Jesus' words were radical for his audience and still are for us today, giving us a metaphorical punch to the gut and challenging us to the depths of our souls to change the way we live, love, and look at the world.