I spend a lot of time reading. Not nearly as much as some of the reading monsters like Al “I Just Read Five Books, and Wrote Three, What Did You Do?” Mohler and Tim “Turns Out Something Good Can Come From Canada” Challies, but a fair amount nonetheless. I love getting new books, I love walking into a bookstore, and I love sitting down with a book and a large cup of coffee.
But is reading really that important? With all of the things that you could be doing, why bother reading? Why should you (or I) invest our precious time in staring at pages splashed with ink?
Let me tell you two of the reasons that I read in the hope that you’ll also be inspired to read.
I Read So That I Can See New Things About God
Throughout the history of the church there have been many men and women who were far more godly and wise than I will ever be. Men like Jonathan Edwards, who saw the brilliance of God’s glory, and Martin Luther, who was willing to die for the gospel, and C.S. Lewis, who had such a wonderful, biblical grasp of reality.
Reading books by men and women like these has allowed me to see new things about God that I would have never seen on my own. I get to stand on the shoulders of Jonathan Edwards and benefit from the hundreds and thousands of hours he spent poring over his Bible. I read books so that I can enjoy the fruit of someone else’s labor.
I Read So That I Can Encourage Others
There are many people I know who are enduring trials and challenges far greater than anything I’ve ever experienced. Because I haven’t endured what they have, I don’t always know how to encourage them. When is the best time to speak a word of encouragement? When is it best simply to pray for a person? When should I give advice, and when should I keep my mouth shut?
Books often provide wisdom when it comes to these questions. Men and women who have gone through trials have put their thoughts and experiences into book form, and I get to benefit from their experiences. I get to see how God encouraged them, and how other believers encouraged them, and what sustained them in the midst of grief and heartache. Books provide wisdom that I just don’t have.
I’m not a particularly wise man. I don’t have enough experience, or enough godliness to make it through life on my own. I need the insights, and wisdom, and godliness of others. That’s why I read.
Why do you spend time reading? How would you encourage a person who doesn’t see the benefit of reading?
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Yes, I read a lot sometimes really great stuff, other times not so great stuff….. even the bad stuff serves as an example of what is out there that creates a stumbling block for others, and or what not to do. I value the Bible more than anything I read. There is just so much opinion out there to wade through, I even declared a break from reading anything other than the Bible for almost a year because I was fed up with a lot of the garbage out there. The great preachers and theologians became great by focusing on Gods word and not the words of others. I am back to reading other books and am almost finished with Dug Down Deep / Josh Harris it has been refreshing so far. Great blog…. thanks for your insight
Famous Yale lit prof Harold Bloom wrote, “The pleasures of reading indeed are selfish rather than social. You cannot directly improve anyone else’s life by reading better or more deeply.” Gardyloo!
Do you agree with Bloom?
I could not disagree more with the professor. It is a joy as Christians to know that our reading diet can directly impact those around us! Said Spurgeon: “When you read a passage of Scripture, and have any enjoyment therein, go to your sick neighbor and tell them what God has said to you. If you meet an ignorant one when you know somewhat of the things of God, tell them to him. Nations are enriched by the interchanges of commerce, and so are Christians. We each have something that another has not, and he has something that we need. Let us trade together. … How I would press this upon you every one, my dear brethren and sisters, who are members of this church. We owe very many of the conversions that have been wrought here to the personal exertions of our church members. God owns our ministry, but he also owns yours. … Let our congregation be full of these spiritual sharpshooters, who shall pick out, each man his man, and who shall fire with the gun of the gospel directly at each individual. Of course, if you know nothing, you can tell nothing. If you have never read anything by which the blessing of God has been brought powerfully home to your own soul, do not attempt to speak to others. There must be something begun in your own soul first.” Good words.
Harold Bloom was wrong. We are what we read.
Stephen,
I do benefit from the insights of others. Blogs like this one often introduce me to great authors. People with wisdom and perspective that serve me so well.
But as my blog post today demonstrates, I need to spend more time reading D.A. Carson, and less time reading DC Comics.
Dave
Thank for this Post, Stephen,
Why do I read:I LOVE books, and I love to be in Contact with Saint whose writting help me see more clear.
How could I motivate someone to read?
Well, just put a good passionate biography in his hand like Hudson Taylor, PAstor Hsi, or Dawson Trotman , or Luther , Or John Hus and so one, I believe through reading even of stories like Samuel in the Bible, the love for reading will come and can grow
yes! and some books are soooo rich that they can be read over and over again – I am currently reading Tozer's The Pursuit of God for the third time and listening to the audio book the second time. That little book is loaded with great insight and the heartcries of a man who truly sought hard after God.
Great thoughts here on reading good books. I like all kinds of books and love to share books with others.
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