The humility of reading

A book so good you can't put it down is a rare find.

The last one for me was about seven years ago. Ever since then I've been looking for the next book so good I can't put down. Haven't found it yet.

Character comes with the rest of them, the ones that, frankly, you can put down.

We tend to be very unforgiving towards them. As if every book owes us the obligation of being so good it can't be put down. We treat them roughly, and gruffly.

We scan them.

I've scanned entire sections, and then am frustrated when I don't grasp the point, as if it is the author's fault.

In doing this I miss the opportunity of seeing new vistas -- even if it is of places I don't immediately wish to go.

More importantly, I miss out on a simple form of moral cultivation. One way to measure the humility of a man is by how much he reads a passage over and over again until he understands it. A man who does this is, in some way or another, a humble man.

Humility in reading is a measure of trustworthiness. Conversely, if someone scans almost all that he reads, well, don't trust him with your deeper concerns.

He'll just scan them.

I know of a famous theologian -- currently active, and still publishing his tomes. I will not say his name because, well, given the millions of people who read this blog, I may do damage to his reputation.

But seriously, this theologian recommended a way to read books, which is this: read the table of contents and (perhaps) the conclusion. And then scan the rest.

Ever since I heard that he said this, I've not been able to take his writings all that seriously.

Here is a rule of thumb: for every sentence you say, read one hundred sentences. Most of us are the other way around: we think every sentence we read calls for us to say a hundred sentences.

That is why most of us are so boring: we really have nothing to say, and we take a long time saying it.

Logos2Go

Ephesians 3.2-4 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ ...