and all the twinkling, starry hosts.

i should read more. Everyone--well, most everyone--should read more. And i may step on toes here, but i am not talking of Harry Potter (which i liked reading, alot) or Twilight (which i generally despise) or Bob the Builder (which is mesmerizing) or the Hardy Boys (sleuthing is great), but of books whereby we are challenged intellectually and spiritually, and personally. There is, perhaps, nothing inherently wrong with reading for pleasure, or to simply pass the time, but is that really any different from just watching TV? i mean, i don't know the answer to that question, and i pose it quite as vigorously to myself as i do to you, but the fact that i can't immediately say with confidence that it is different from watching TV makes me think it may not be.

People who have read this blog from day one may recognize this topic as a sort of soapbox for me, and maybe i'm being "ridiculous," but at least humor me. The first thing is that, if you and i aren't being challenged by the things we read, then from whence comes the challenge? One in twenty movies, maybe. And usually just portions of them (i.e., i found Book of Eli to be challenging, in places). Maybe a song will impact you emotionally, or even spiritually, but i don't know that i've been challenged by a song. Sports? Can't see it there. For me, blogging is only intellectually and spiritually and personally challenging when i've been reading something that has already done that and then find myself trying to communicate those things to you, the reader. So, our media-saturated society seems to offer little. The second thing is that, if we are not reading "substance" (and i don't believe we are, as a generation and as a culture), then the very valuable resource of challenge, other people, has largely disappeared. And not only that, but we ourselves begin to be deficient in our ability to actually do the challenging. How can iron sharpen iron if there is no iron to begin with? i fear we are trying to sharpen play dough with plastic forks.

i cannot define for you what "substance" is. However, i can guarantee you that God's Word is substance. It is Truth, and there is not falsehood in it. But beyond that? Well, just because something is easy to read doesn't mean it lacks substance, just as difficult reads do not necessarily contain it. i suppose that it must ultimately be something you search for yourself, always looking through the lens of scripture. And even when you do "read for pleasure," seek truth. i have found truth in some very odd places. We must always be willing to confront ourselves, and ask if we are willing to love God with our minds. The Fall has made you and i very susceptible to all kinds of heresy, but there is always Hope, for the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.