5 Final Thoughts on Books

It has been a joy over recent months to share with you some of my favorite books on a variety of subjects. The weekly “short list” is really just a starting point for those who want to read more, and I hope the recommendations will be a good starting point for some. We have tried to cover a variety of subjects. Obviously no list like this can be exhaustive.

A dear friend and faithful reader suggested humorously that I add the following to our series:

5 Places to buy good books
5 Ways to earn extra money for more books
5 ways to keep my wife from knowing I bought more books

Regarding the first I would simply say that I love used book stores. You can also find many out of print books through online book sellers. Unfortunately, I am unable to help with the last two requests. You are on your own!

Perhaps in the future I will periodically add to the series of articles, but for now please permit me to share a few closing thoughts on the reading of good books…

Read to grow, not just to know. It is possible to have a head full of facts and a heart full of arrogance! This is why educated people often become unteachable. In the words of Paul, “Knowledge puffeth up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). The goal of reading should not simply be to know more – it should be to grow more. Read to apply and to become more the person that God wants you to be.
Read to write, not just to read. That’s right – don’t just read! Read with a pen in hand. Mark passages that are especially helpful and write down thoughts that may come to your mind. One man’s thoughts stir another’s. Reading and notating helps to shape the mind, feed the imagination, and strengthen memory. Your mind works as your pen moves.
Read to share, not just to keep. Take what you are receiving and relay it to someone else. Minister out of the overflow of your own growth and incorporate truths you are acquiring into your conversations with others. Like ripples in a body of water the impact of one book can touch many lives. You can tell by listening to people speak if they are readers. Reading doesn’t just help you know more – it trains you to think thoroughly and speak clearly. As you read you learn to articulate and communicate more effectively.
Read to expand, not just to maintain. Some people are content with the area of knowledge and level of understanding that they have already attained. Perhaps we are all more prone to this as we get older. Choose to read widely and read outside your area of expertise. Books enlarge our perspective on all of life.
Read to relax, not just to work. Some people view books only as tools for their trade. While this is one aspect of reading, we must remember that books are also a healthy, constructive way to spend “free time.” Find books that you enjoy reading during the varied stages of life.