You spend a lot of time attending classes while in school. Your time there is spent listening to lectures, reading in and out of class, and doing homework. If you fail to do any one of these, then your grades in school suffer. A lot of people no longer grow intellectually after they get out of school, primarily because they fail to maintain that particular discipline of reading.
You may say that you stay fresh in your learning by watching videos vice reading. You may gain additional information, but you do not exercise your brain and keep it active in doing that. John Wesley was one of the early church fathers. When talking to Christians about the discipline of reading he had this to say, “Reading Christians are growing Christians. When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow.” To be on the cutting edge of Christian growth requires that you read. To those people who are in ministry, John Westley had this to say, “He who no longer reads should get out of the ministry.” This is true of any occupation. Yes, videos have their place but the person who reads in his/her profession is more often than not the person who is the most successful in their occupation.
The New Testament Paul was a very learned man. You know from Scripture that he spoke fluent Hebrew and Greek. He was a Pharisee, thus he was extremely well educated. At the close of his life, he penned in his last epistle and made the following request when death was imminent at any time: “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:13). Bible scholars tell us this meant bringing copies of secular books and the Scriptures. Can you believe it? In his dying days, he still wants to be growing intellectually and spiritually.
Reading may not be a very enjoyable experience for you. The fact is, that if you want to grow spiritually and/or intellectually, then reading is not an option. Make reading a priority in your life and start today!
