Almost everyone I know agrees that reading good books is important; this is one of the main themes in school. There is a long list of reasons for why reading is good for you (here are 11 good reasons to read) and how helpful it can be to ensure you live the best possible life. And yet, judging by how few people actually read, it seems that few people believe this beyond just giving intellectual assent. In other words, most people I know think they are just too busy to read.
READ BROADLY
I didn’t think that reading was important for the longest time. I learned to read in
grade school, but I wasn’t very good at it; this is one of the major reasons I didn’t enjoy reading. I also discovered I could make good grades by just reading the first sentence of every paragraph and the words in bold print. I was twenty-three when I read my first book, and it quickly became an essential part of my life. I discovered that reading wasn’t about getting good grades, but rather a way to learn how to live well.
I try to read broadly on a wide range of subjects. I don’t want to read authors who just agree with what I already believe. I want my ideas challenged; I want to know what I don’t know and correct what I “know” that is in error. Last month I finished reading One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General by William Barr. I don’t normally read political books, but I wanted to know more about what it was like to work for former President Trump. This book forced me to look at some of my own biases, which was disturbing, and I enjoyed a look behind the curtain to get some idea, besides just what I see in the news, about how the Trump White House ran. I found the book entertaining and insightful.
After I finished One Damn Thing, I had no idea what to read next and, rather than ask Amazon, I just looked through my library for ideas. I looked at several titles which have changed the way that I think and how I live. I decided that I would reread some of those books to remind myself of forgotten details and see if I still liked the book as much the second time around. I have not been disappointed. I began by rereading The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life by Armand Nicholi. This book has reminded me that Christianity is intellectually sound and leads to the best possible life. Reading this book again has reminded me that unbelief is a terrible thing and I have stopped regularly to pray for the Airmen who are in our lives. As I finished The Question of God I felt energized and optimistic. Reading changes not just how I think, but how I feel as well.
READ TO LIVE WELL
I think many people don’t read for the same reason they don’t exercise; it takes time and effort. And of course, no one makes you read outside of what you must read for work. When you are in the military you have to exercise-they have regular physical fitness tests to make sure their members have been to the gym. When you are in school you have to read-teachers give tests to make sure you have done the reading. But once you are out of the military and have graduated from school, reading feels as optional as regular exercise. But without regular exercise the body, which is slowly deteriorating, will deteriorate at a faster rate. And without reading our minds and life will also deteriorate.
I am now rereading He is There and He is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer. I first read this book in either 1978 or ‘79. In the 70s and 80s,
Francis Schaeffer was the foremost Christian philosopher in the English-speaking world, and I remember the book being deeply philosophical and hard to understand. As I am reading it this time, I realize that he is using the same arguments that I often use when explaining the reasons for believing in the existence of God. I am tempted to say, “He got all of his ideas from me,” but of course I got my ideas from him and have had these for so long I had totally forgotten where they came from. Reading He is There, although very different from The Question of God, is having the same impact on my emotional life-I find myself encouraged and optimistic because it affirms that my belief in Jesus is not just a leap of faith but is founded on sound logic and evidence.
READ THE BIBLE IN TROUBLED TIMES
For the last couple of nights, I have had strange nightmares that wake me from a deep sleep. I can only remember bits and pieces of the dreams, and they don’t make much sense. However, I find my heart rate has increased and it’s impossible to go back to sleep quickly. As I lay in the dark, I begin to recite, quietly to myself, Bible verses that I have memorized over the years. By about the third or fourth verse my heart has returned to a very slow rate and I am soon back asleep. I am so grateful to live in a world where books of all kinds are so available, but I find the Bible to be the best comfort in times of trouble.
I pray that you would take the time to read. It isn’t really optional if you want the best life possible in these troubled times. But most of all I pray that you would memorize and meditate on the Bible, God’s Holy Word. It will give you peace that passes all understanding.
