Reading

“Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” (Eph 5:16 NLT)

Most of us have been asked to shelter in place while this virus runs its course, which means lots of extra time for… what else? Reading! 

A quick aside—if you’re not much of a reader, you probably know you should become one. So consider this your opportunity to get better. Why not let COVID-19 work to your advantage? Set aside 20 minutes every day to read, and then stick to it. You could come out on the other side of this thing with a great new habit! 

Read to stoke your imagination. This is one of the greatest advantages of books over movies. Both tell stories, but books activate our imagination in ways that movies simply don’t. It’s a totally different mental experience, for example, to have Tolkien create the Shire in your mind’s eye than to let Peter Jackson present it to you on screen. 

Read to feed your mind. Reading is one of the easiest ways to increase your knowledge of the world, your vocabulary, and your concentration. Pick a topic you’re interested in, look up the highest-rated titles on that subject, read a few reviews and/or a book preview, select a title, and get growing. Well-written biographies and histories will have you learning without even trying! 

Read to improve yourself. Books are like conversation partners. The best ones work both ways—you read them, and they “read” you. This applies to more than self-help material. We can find inspiration and insight from great biographies, philosophy, classic fiction, and more.

Read to know God. After all, it matters that He revealed Himself in a book, doesn’t it? If you’ve never read through the entire Bible, perhaps this is your chance. 

Friends, this may be an opportunity we will never again see in our lifetime. Let’s not waste it!

By Josh Waltz

Parker Police Chaplain