The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

The message of this book is that “every single thing you do matters”, built on the premise that when a butterfly flaps its wings, it moves air, which moves more air, which moves more air and can eventually start a hurricane. Examples of the effects of one man’s actions include a Union commander’s victory at Gettysburg that turned the tide of the Civil War and a man who developed hardy corn and wheat. The author states, “Everything you do matters. Every move you make, every action you
take . . . matters. Not just to you of your family, or your business, or hometown. Everything you do matters to all of us forever.”

This book is meant to be challenging and inspiring. I found it overblown and hyperbolic. Not every single thing people do matters, any more than every flap of every butterfly’s wings results in a hurricane. Some things people do matter greatly, but many things matter not at all, especially to others. It grossly exaggerates man’s importance to say every single thing we do matters; it would be realistic to say some things we do can matter. It would be accurate to say that, as far as we can tell, everything God does matters, but we are not God.

If you’re looking for biblical truth, turn from this book. It makes no mention of God, His will or His ways. I would not recommend it to anyone.