READING AS A PLEASURABLE AND REJUVENATING HABIT

In every field of human endeavor, people are in constant search for experts. When the case of a patient in a hospital defies available options for treatment, a medical consultant receives an urgent invitation. Universities that have not produced sufficient number of professors are hardly reckoned with in matters of academic competence. Safety on the roads by vehicles and of water ways and airways of air planes and ships are hardly unconnected with the expertise and proficiency of drivers and pilots in that order.

Learning is a principal instrument of character development and skills acquisition; this learning cannot be effective in the absence of books, research materials and other pieces of information either in soft copies in computer software and in hard copies as printed in books, journals, letters, magazines, newspapers and tracts. The universities and institutes are in constant search for researchers who will be disciplined sufficiently to dig out and unearth the wealth of knowledge which earlier scientists, engineers, medical practitioners, legal practitioners, architects and numerous other experts used to service their era and generations. Such great knowledge has to be discovered, documented, updated and utilized to meet current pressing needs of people in the church and society. It takes diligent reading and disciplined study to achieve this great feat. Our culture, career and relationships need further enrichment through what we can glean from the ways and works of the past heroes and champions.

Yet wrong stuff such as pornographic books, heretical content, occult materials and the like can be destructive to the human mind and so should be avoided. The inspired author of the book of Proverbs gives a warning in this regard, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23).

Emphasizing on the importance of Studying books especially God’s book-the Bible-Apostle Paul writes, “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing (rightly handling and skillfully teaching) the Word of Truth” (2Timothy 2:15)

William Shakespeare made history through reading the works of Plutarch who lived before him. Sir Isaac Newton who discovered “the law of Gravitation” ascribed his great achievement to his unique ability to read widely; he described reading as a means of “standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Psychologists describe each human being as a “rational being” that act from ideas in all tasks and as an “intellectual being” that is capable of knowing. The author of the book of Proverbs says: “Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly …the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (Proverbs 13:16; 14:18). Reading should be made a habit and the quality of information we receive should be monitored.
John Maxwell (2007) testified about the enviable lifestyle of his friend, Lon Woodrum, who lived to his nineties. This friend of his remained an outstanding speaker, writer and poet until late in life. When John C. Maxwell probed into the secret of his friend’s ageless mental capacity, he discovered an unequalled commitment to intelligent reading. At the age of 86, Lon Woodrum set a goal to read a book a day, and to die with a book in his hand. Are you challenged by this kind of ambition?

Reading is both pleasurable and rejuvenating.