The letter I'm writing to you this week is regarding a realization that I really want to convey to you, my beloved saints. It is to realize that there is a way in books. I think of books as God's greatest gift to humanity. The greatest book of all is the Bible. God has placed the way to salvation in the Bible and gave it to us as a gift. The Bible is God's Word. Through the Bible, we know and encounter God. The Bible is a treasure that contains the knowledge and wisdom of God. The problem is that we are not able to find the treasure in the Bible because we don't know how to read the Bible.
Not everyone who has eyes read books. Not every one who has books read them. Only those who understand the value of book read books. In addition, only those who know how to read, read books and enjoy the benefits of reading. Learning how to read books is like learning how to fish. A Jewish Talmud says, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." Learning how to read books can lead us to live a lifelong abundant life. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Most people don't realize how long it takes to learn how to read. It took me eight years and I still haven't mastered it." This is what Goethe, who had written 115 books, said. Surprisingly, people do not know how to read books.
For me, it took more time to learn about having a right posture toward books than to learn how to read books. A book is like a person: it pours out all of itself to those who recognize its value. A book mysteriously hides itself and doesn't give away the hidden treasures in itself to those who do not recognize its value and considers it worthy. A book doesn't give away its precious things to those who only want to use it for their selfish benefit. On the other hand, a book gives away the hidden treasure in itself for those who consider it valuable and seeks to self-reflect to grow into a better person. I highly value books and cherish them. As I read books, I desire for myself to be read through the book. Especially, when I read the Bible, I read prayerfully and reflect on myself. Also, I read to encounter God.
My life was changed by encountering God, the Bible, good teachers, and good books. Life is about encountering. The future of our lives is decided by whom we encounter. I have experienced precious encounters through books. As I gradually learned how to read books, I began to learn and grow continuously. Especially, as I learned how to read books, I have entered into a road of lifelong reading. To enter into a road of lifelong reading is to enter into a road of lifelong learning. I respect those who walk the road of lifelong learning by continuing to read books even as adults. It's because the lifelong learners are always living in the reality of infinite possibilities.
Reading transforms us. Reading helps us to prepare for a new turning point. Henry David Thoreau said, "How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book! The book exists for us, perchance, which will explain our miracles and reveal new ones." The one who knows the joy of reading is truly a happy person. One of the things that I realized by keeping books close is that there are no friends as loyal as books. Books have never betrayed me. Books are good friends who comfort me in the time of discouragement. It is the fountainhead of understanding that made my life abundant. Books have always upgraded my life. Books helped me to cultivate the field and the garden of my heart. Books helped me to experience deeper joy in life and a higher quality of life.
One of the pastoral visions of mine is that of lifelong learning. Our church offers various program for your lifelong learning. All of the programs offered in our church are things that will help you to be a disciple of Jesus through lifelong learning. Among them there is a "Reading Instructor Course' that teaches you how to read books and the attitude for reading. It is a course that will help you to enter into the deeper world of the Word of God by learning how to read. Remember, learning how to read gives us wings to fly. Let us together learn how to read and live as lifelong learners. I bless you.
Reverend Joshua Choon-Min Kang is the senior pastor of New Life Vision Church, located in Los Angeles. This is one of the weekly letters he writes to his congregation. For the original, visit www.nlvc.org.
