Overrated

Eugene Cho Should Never Write Another Book

Eugene Cho should never write another book. Doing so would jeopardize his ministry and most likely his family. If Eugene were to write another book, he would have to expose more of his inner struggles which would leave him vulnerable to personal attacks. Sharing anymore of his family’s difficulties would air too much of their fragileness possibly to the point of breaking. After reading Overratted by Eugene Cho, it is no doubt that another book will be written because that is exactly what Satan would NOT want to happen. Let me explain.
Overrated gets right to the core of what is squashing the gospel message in the form of outreach: me. For sure I want to tell of the good ways to help others but they need hands on love and it would be hard to take a selfie while getting down in the trenches with the least of these. As Eugene puts it: “Ideas, dreams, and visions don’t change the world. Rather, it’s people – like you and me, who faithfully, prayerfully, and tenaciously live out these ideas, dreams, and visions – who change the world.” This generation – my generation – loves the idea of changing the world. However, it is usually IF we get to receive the credit. Eugene writes from his own raw place of vulnerability: “I didn’t want to leave my comfort for the sake of my commitments.”
By sharing his life story, Eugene Cho exposes his emotional and spiritual rollercoaster of being so committed to pursuing justice that he and his family end up homeless. Now don’t think that Eugene is an irresponsible showman trying to gain press. His life is one that exhibits the practical application of the key scripture for this book:
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?” – Micah 6:8
Overrated will force you to ask yourself the same questions that the Holy Spirit asked Eugene: “Where is your treasure? Who is your treasure?” Answering these questions for yourself will be the hard but necessary task involved with reading and applying the truths of this book to your own life. Many of Eugene’s internal voices sound like my own: the annoyance of someone in the express checkout line with too many items, the desire to have an easy life in Christ instead of the hard call of justice that is required, and the self-criticism of whether I am doing what I am asking others to do. This book should be read by all churches in light of their mission work. This book should be required for all missionaries. This book should be read by all pastors of every denomination. Although, by doing so would cause some people to get upset because the challenge of Overrated is to look at how and why we are doing what we are doing. And change does not come easy for the comfortable.
Maybe that is why I don’t think Eugene Cho should write another book. I see too many of my own short comings and shallow thoughts written in the harshness of the black and white text. I know Satan doesn’t want Eugene Cho to write another book because Overrated will cause many people to physically pursue justice for Jesus Christ. And that kind of generational movement would do far more good than video challenges, can food drives, or mission trips to faraway places that cost a few house notes to get there. This is not an easy to book to read. These are not easy teaching to accept. But isn’t that what starts great movements throughout history? This generation can be the one who changes the world for Jesus Christ if we are to take the message in Overrated and live it out in our lives. It is time to stop being overrated. Put down your cellphone, pick up this book, and allow Eugene Cho to guide you down the hard path that leads to a new self in Jesus Christ for the saving of the world.