I Can't Read Easy
Through the years, I have found that I gravitate less and less to easy reads. By that, I don’t mean that I enjoy reading books that require me to have a dictionary & world history book nearby for reference. Rather, I enjoy books and magazines that requires me to put the material down and silently contemplate what I just read. Do you know what I mean? Our society is increasingly becoming an instant one that craves the bottom line. But the older I get, I find the grey areas much more interesting and, dare I even say, Godly. Jesus hardly ever answered questions directly, more often than not, He answered with more questions. When Jesus spoke, he spoke with such originality and insight that he often silenced his listeners. I mean, they had nothing left to say, I can barely imagine someone speaking like that to today’s society. We believe that what we think matters most and our opinions are the right ones (this blog makes my point perfectly), and darn it, we will be heard. I crave to listen, but so much of the talking on our airwaves as well as much of the current written word is unoriginal, the same easy answers and catch phrases and black and white views which can pit people against one another or leaves them with the feeling that they are never good enough, there is always something more they have to do, to become. I am not sure if we can even grow until we first learn just to BE with God.
There was a time when one generation would pass on its stories and wisdom to the next in the context of relationship. That generation would add its own to the mix and rich heritages would evolve. For a number of years now, there have been best sellers concerning 10 steps to success or 3 things we ought to know about parenting or 7 great habits, or 12 things millionaires know, yada, yada, yada. I am not interested in what I should do to be successful, tell me how to think well! Give me a philosophy on life, from which, I can learn to approach everyday living, not a how to guide that takes my own ability to reason and grow out of the process and just gives me the bottom line. I want thoughts, not opinions. I want stories, not steps. I want something that will cause me to respond, not react. One comes at me, externally, pressing me to change my behavior; the other rises up from within and actually transforms me.
Jesus was this kind of teacher. He operated from and always went straight to…the heart. Because from that place, springs life. This is where the work must be done. And that work requires no easy fixes, reactionary dialogues or bottom line promises. It is a work of the Holy Spirit for sure, but it is also a work that we must tend to. It is a work that requires silence and contemplation. I can’t read easy because easy takes me away from these things. Easy keeps me asleep, unaware and unworked.
There was a time when one generation would pass on its stories and wisdom to the next in the context of relationship. That generation would add its own to the mix and rich heritages would evolve. For a number of years now, there have been best sellers concerning 10 steps to success or 3 things we ought to know about parenting or 7 great habits, or 12 things millionaires know, yada, yada, yada. I am not interested in what I should do to be successful, tell me how to think well! Give me a philosophy on life, from which, I can learn to approach everyday living, not a how to guide that takes my own ability to reason and grow out of the process and just gives me the bottom line. I want thoughts, not opinions. I want stories, not steps. I want something that will cause me to respond, not react. One comes at me, externally, pressing me to change my behavior; the other rises up from within and actually transforms me.
Jesus was this kind of teacher. He operated from and always went straight to…the heart. Because from that place, springs life. This is where the work must be done. And that work requires no easy fixes, reactionary dialogues or bottom line promises. It is a work of the Holy Spirit for sure, but it is also a work that we must tend to. It is a work that requires silence and contemplation. I can’t read easy because easy takes me away from these things. Easy keeps me asleep, unaware and unworked.
8:04 AM
"I want thoughts, not opinions. I want stories, not steps. I want something that will cause me to respond, not react."
Well Vince, you are giving us what you want. Thoughts to chew on. Thanks!
Over the past year I have been been reading a range of writings. I have gleaned some truths from 'the opinions', 'the processes' and 'the steps.' There is truth to be found and applied. During the times I am emotionally spent, I find the 'steps' are helpful to keep me moving forward. But as I allow myself the time and freedom to simply 'be' with God, to focus on Him and His truths, those are the times I then can and want to chew on and process books and thoughts that will change me from within.
Having said that ... I just finished an easy read, written by a bestselling author. I just wanted to be entertained for awhile. Life has been heavy and I felt like I needed an escape. Will I still be thinking about it and processing it in a few days? I doubt it. There wasn't enough meat in it. top
11:13 AM
Yes, sometimes I may overdo my writtings simply to make a strong enough point that people will have stop and think if they agree or not and why. The truth is though, I also enjoy brainless reads and movies now and then. We also simply need to be entertained once in a while. If I always read "deep," I think I would fall into the old addage of becoming so heavenly minded that I would be no earthly good. And I enjoy books and movies that are made simply for those purposes. The thing that I think gets my goat (what does that mean anyway?) is the books that set out to be important but are really just more of the same surface or reactionary writtings that don't expect much thinking or meditation from their readers. Do you know what I mean? top
4:41 PM
Yes, I know what you mean, Vince. I think there could be a few reasons ... one is the authors have not taken enough time and/or energy to think things through before they wrote and I'm sure some of it is reactionary writing. Could it also be that some of those books are written to 'sell well' so the focus is on that and not as much on the depth of the content?
You probably don't really care what it means, but I love to find out the reasons behind sayings, so here goes ...
"gets my goat"
This apparently refers to an old English (Welsh?) belief that keeping a goat in the barn would have a calming effect on the cows, hence producing more milk. When one wanted to antagonize/terrorize one's enemy, you would abscond with their goat rendering their milk cows less- to non-productive. So therefore if someone or something gets your goat you are left aggitated.
Hope I didn't 'get your goat' with all that info :) top
10:05 PM
I agree with your characterization of Jesus. When you read the gospels you never know what he is going to say. He is unpredictable. He doesn't have pat answers. He sees each person as an individual and responds to the individual situation. It's hard to even say what Jesus doctrine was. He is outside the box. top