I'm with Dr. Seuss

“The more that you read, the more things you know. 

The more that you learn, the more places you will go.” Dr. Seuss

  Have you seen the new church sign at the new building? Our property was previously a gravel pit and there are lots of rocks. Installing the new sign should have been a fairly simple task. Dig a few holes (we rented an electric post hole digger) but because there were so many rocks, we had to rent a jackhammer. Ultimately, we dug nine holes for the two we needed.

  On most projects, I’m a “go-for” – go for this or that. I remembered that I had an ice chipper at home that we use to break up ice in the winter, so I grabbed it. I’m not known for having a vast array of tools, so several guys were shocked I owned such a beast. In the end, it made a big difference.

  You probably know someone with a garage full of tools but they’re rarely used. Or, you know someone with a kitchen that’d make Rachel Ray turn green with envy but they never cook. God has entrusted each of us with a wonderful tool – our minds. Too often they’re unused. Much of our free time is spent in “amusement” (TV, social media, etc.). Muse means to think; A-muse mean to “not think.” We’re managers of what God has given us. That demands that we use the “tool” He’s entrusted to us, our minds. One of the key ways that we use our minds is that we read. Reading good books is like giving your mind vitamins!

  Periodically, someone will say, “I’m not a reader.” That’s tragic. It’s very hard to think without being a reader. Our Bible is a written document meant to be read. It’s hard to think about God and what He has to say without being a reader. It’s usually apparent when someone is not a reader. They’re no longer being stretched with new thoughts, concepts or ideas. Frequently, they suffer from the hardening of the attitudes and opinions.

  No one wants a doctor who stopped learning 20 years ago after she graduated from med school. Too often Christians are a turn off because they aren’t growing. Many times it’s because they refuse to read. They foolishly associate reading with school, yet our Heavenly Father has enrolled us in the school of life. We must never stop learning and growing.

  “You are what you eat.” It’s equally true, “You are what you read!” Because God has given us a Book, He expects us to read it. Yet, don’t stop there, start there. And read more than Christian books. The Apostle Paul was familiar with pagan philosophy and writings. He quoted Menander (Acts 17:28, 1 Corinthians 15:33) and Epimenides (Titus 1:12).

  A few of years ago I was challenged to increase my reading. This past year, I read nearly 50 books (the average American reads 4). Now I’m not suggesting that you read 50 books, but 1 or 2 a month is not out of the question. Here are some reasons that you should read.

  Reading enlarges our world and helps us minister more effectively. Through books, we’re given an opportunity to become informed about the lives of others in the world and in our community. Prior to coming to Wisconsin I’d never heard of the “Ice Bowl” and couldn’t understand the obsession with the Packers…until I read Bart Starr: America’s Quarterback and the Rise of the National Football League by Keith Dunnavant. It gave me a brand new perspective. As I read Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, it opened my eyes to issues facing the poor. Reading helps us work through difficult topics and learn from those unlike ourselves. It helps us to learn about and better understand so we can love our neighbor.

  To stretch me spiritually. God is closer than you think by John Ortberg encouraged me to seek to know Jesus better and deepen my walk with Him. You and Me Forever by Francis & Lisa Chan reminded me to keep my marriage fresh. Jane and I will have been married 35 years this July. I don’t want to coast in these later years, so I need a kick-start periodically. 

  To be more compassionate. Gospel Justice by Bruce Strom is about the injustice that those who can’t afford a lawyer or understand the law face. It reminded me again that God is a God of justice, yet there is so little of it in our world. As a believer, I must be committed to helping those being treated unjustly. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to have a child incarcerated. When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent opened my eyes to that heartache. As a pastor, because I deal with death all the time, it’s easy to become jaundiced to loss. Losing Mum and Pup by Christopher Buckley is his story of how he lost both of his parents within a year’s time. It made me more compassionate to those who have lost a loved one.

  To mentally relax. During this past year I’ve often felt stressed with the pressure and details of our new building. Periodically, I’d read a book by John Grisham or a historical account like The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown to help me decompress. I hardly knew what rowing was before. It detailed the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from Washington State showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really is. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar team was never expected to defeat elite American teams, yet they did, and went on to shock the world by defeating Hitler’s rowing team.

  To challenge my presuppositions. After I finish a book, I struggle with what to read next. There are so many good books I want to read, but I force myself to read books that stretch me like Heaven is a place on Earth by Michael Wittmer. It was a different interpretation of end times. The Bookseller of Kabul horrified me in what life is like, particularly for women, in much of the Islamic world. It made me thankful for friends who risk their lives to take the Gospel to that region of the world.  

  So what have you got on your book shelf? God has given us a wonderful tool between our ears. Please read and use it for His glory. Start small. Begin with what you’re interested in. Most of us can spare half an hour a day. Reading enriches and transforms our lives in ways that few other hobbies can. The rewards of reading are worth the effort of what it will do for your life and your walk with Christ. What are you going to read next?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.