香柏书-属灵成长的好读物 1.1.04

Christians should be people who are willing to read. The former Soviet writer Gorky once said, "Books are the ladder of human progress." In the Han Dynasty of China, Liu Xiang also said, "Books are like medicine, good reading can cure foolishness." From ancient times to the present, human experience tells us that human civilization is passed down through books, and a person's wisdom also matures gradually through reading. Reading nurtures the soul; without reading, not only does one's brain lack knowledge, but the soul will also undergo changes.

Reading can bring many benefits to a person, most notably broadening one's horizons. Ancient people often compared "ten thousand books" with "a thousand miles of travel." People have long realized that one's abilities are limited while the vast world is infinite. A person cannot possibly have the time, energy, and capacity to understand all things in the world. If life demands us to be "well-versed," then reading is the best way. Reading a good book is like communicating with a broad-minded master, understanding his experiences, and appreciating his thoughts. This undoubtedly can lead us from narrowness to vastness, allowing us to better comprehend the vastness and depth of the human soul, understand the diversity and wonder of the world, and grasp the impermanence and strangeness of worldly affairs.

Reading also helps us organize our thoughts. When we read a book, we can slowly explore the author's ideas; this invisibly helps us systemically organize our own thoughts logically. Many times, reading can guide us into moments of insight, playing a finishing touch role on our thoughts.

For Christians, reading can also help us develop a devout habit. Reading a little every day gradually forms a habit of contemplating eternal godly matters every day. Such a habit can help us shift our focus from this tempting world to God's kingdom. This is one of the most important exercises for someone aspiring to follow God. From another perspective, our faith is a combination of knowledge and action; reading is a combination of thinking and learning. It allows us to find our own path of faith through the practices of others.