Reading is part of life; it’s a major aspect of my life. I read cerebral stuff, devotional stuff, informational stuff, and ... well, I read all sorts of stuff.
Reading and thinking are connected. Sometimes I read first, think second; other times think first then read. This week I’ve been reading about thinking, so stopped to ruminate about reading.
As well as reading the thinking (cognitive processing theory) stuff, read some old stuff. Just read Thomas A’Kempis’s fifth chapter “About reading the holy writings.” In it he highlights to me the “normal human danger” of being influenced by the academic status of others, how through curiosity and ego we try to master difficulties of comprehension, rather than being inspired by simplicity, humility and applying faith.
Here’s my chew on “faith or spiritual formation reading” . . .
“When you read, read for the author’s heart, before you seek to analyse their head. Consider that the author, no matter how intellectually developed they are, wrote from heart before head. Their head served their heart as they sought to capture and communicate authentic and actualised faith.”
I think I have this one “dynamically right” but I should never assume I have the essence of A‘Kempis’ warning, “statically-historically right.” Reading right is an ongoing developmental discipline, not achieved competency.
Heart first, words second.
