The Power of Books in the Everyday Life

Books are dangerous. With them, men and women have steered the wills of nations and arrested the hearts of kings. Books have the power to build and the power to destroy. They can soothe the sorrows of men or poison the conscience of a child. A book utters what the tongue is too limited to convey. Yet the same power of the tongue lies in the pen of a writer. With the words he writes, a writer wields the power to cut or control, enable or disable, build on a new foundation or lay whole empires to ashes.

Impact on our Society

Great movements happen because of great books. Changes in history occurred because people decided to read and think for themselves. The Reformation came about largely because, through Gutenberg's press, the Bible was marketed to everyday people. Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 was simply a spark in the powder keg which was primed to explode since John Wycliffe's English translation of Bible in 1382. In the same vein, the world was pushed towards the Renaissance as common people read for themselves the works of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Epicurus. No longer was a man's or woman's opinion subject to Roman Catholic traditions. Now, they could read and reason for themselves.

Sadly, throughout history, men have suppressed the free exchange of ideas. And with the exile of free thinking comes the execution of innocent lives. Heinrich Heine, a German Jewish poet, once wrote "where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people." Over a century after Heine penned those words, men, women, and children were murdered during the Holocaust. While exterminating millions of innocent people, the Third Reich burned the books in countries which they occupied. Citizens were no longer aloud to read or think for themselves. Learning from the past, we should be concerned when we see the same events in the present.

The Privilege and Responsibility of Reading

As we see the impact which books have on our society, we Christians should understand that we have been given not only the privilege but also the responsibility of reading books. We are stewards and ambassadors for Truth. Part of influencing our world with the Gospel of Truth means engaging in intellectual conversations. Gaining credibility in evangelism requires being knowledgeable--about your beliefs, the other person's beliefs, and the world around you. If you walk into a conversation completely misrepresenting yourself and the other person, you will miss the opportunity for change. Requiring attention, discipline, and an open mind, books give knowledge in a way that web-surfing and social media cannot.

Anyone can Google search "Sigmund Freud", "Charles Darwin", or "Karl Marx". But reading books either about or by them can give an advantage far different than a simple web search. First, it helps us recognize that these were intelligent image-bearing people with whose ideas we can exchange. Second, it enables us to stand firm in our own beliefs as we know how to answer their ideas and make sense of the world which they still influence. Engaging in a meaningful conversation with someone necessitates knowing what they actually believe.

In our postmodern age, people would rather talk past each other than with each other. They would rather make unfounded assertions than discuss with a different view. We do not like being questioned for fear that what we believe is not true. Christians should recognize that Jesus and Paul allowed themselves and their views to be questioned so that they could engage in discussing with those who disagreed. As God, our Lord knew the hearts of His opponents before they spoke. And yet, at times He still reasoned with them, using parables to convey His ideas. In his sermon on Mars Hill, Paul reasoned with his Athenian audience, even quoting some of their pagan philosophers to make his point (Acts 17). Books allows us to engage with others with whom we disagree.

Choosing Books that Impact Our Lives

In one of the chapters in his classic, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders addresses the impact which reading makes on a believers life. As Sanders notes, Paul himself was likely an avid reader: "Paul's books... were probably works of Jewish history, explanations of the laws and prophets, and perhaps some of the heathen poets Paul quoted in his sermons and lectures" (1). As an inspired writer of the word, Paul was also well-read, making it known through his use of logic, literary devices, and audience adaption. Christians can learn from Paul, growing intellectually through books so that we can engage effectively with other people.

"A good book has great power," Sanders writes. It has the power to impact our mind, will, and emotions. He goes on, "if a man is known by the company he keeps, so also his character is reflected in the books he reads." And as one cares who he keeps as his closest friends, so should he care which books he keeps as his closest counsel. Many modern authors write simply to put their name on the bestsellers list but rarely write anything that engages all parts of the human experience. "David Webster preferred to master a few books rather than read widely," Sanders continues, "to them he would appeal for genuine knowledge of the human heart, its aspirations and tragedies, hopes and disappointments" (2).

Conclusion

Consider, dear reader, reading a book that challenges your mind, your will, your emotions, and even possibly your worldview. Engage in a biography that tells the story of a life which to emulate or to impugn. Read stories of worlds that reflect but are far different from our own, where the hero reflects our Hero of the Greatest Story ever told. Prepare yourself for the tragedies as we understand that sin and suffering still have their hold on our fallen world. Fill your library with both prose and poets. Discuss and argue with Plato, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard. Learn so that you can engage.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "visit many books, but live in the Bible." This quote comes from the man who obtained close to 12,000 volumes in his personal library. He was a man of books and it showed through his writing and preaching. From Spurgeon, we learn that as books impact us, we impact the world. But apart from the impact books have on our everyday lives, the Book which should take priority is the Word of God.

Notes/Recommended Reading

(1) Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer. (Chicago: Moody, 2007), 101.

(2) Ibid., 104.