Short reflection today…
I’ve always loved to read. Whether biographies, fiction, or theology, books have shaped me, challenged me, comforted me, and stretched me. Good reading has a way of developing us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally in ways almost nothing else can. But I was struck recently with a little image that got me thinking about my reading and the growth that comes from it.
If all we ever do is consume ideas for ourselves, we become like someone pouring water from one jug into another and then setting the second jug on a shelf. The water moved, technically. Something transferred. But it never went anywhere beyond that. That can happen with our learning too.
We read books, listen to podcasts, underline quotes, and collect insights. We grow wiser, more thoughtful, more informed. But if all of that growth stays locked inside us, then the circle remains incomplete. Knowledge that never leaves us only benefits one person.
And right now, we are living in a moment where many people have stopped reading altogether. Not completely, of course, but we’ve lost the habit of slow learning – the kind that happens over time, digesting the information, taking a long time to finish something. Instead we skim headlines, scroll summaries, and consume fragments. But deep reading, the kind that forms patience, reflection, empathy, and wisdom, has become rare. Like muscles that we never use, those capacities begin to atrophy.
Reading trains us to sit still long enough to think deeply. It teaches us to wrestle with ideas instead of reacting instantly to them. It develops attention in an age of distraction. And spiritually, it reminds us that growth is usually slow, layered, and intentional. So reading itself is an art that we must reclaim.
But just as important as reading is sharing what we’re learning. I’ve got it “easy” in this regard because I’m a pastor. I constantly get to tell people about the things that I’m learning! I also have this writing space and a podcast that I contribute to. But what if you don’t have those things? Does that mean you can’t share what you’re learning? Of course not! It might take some more creativity and effort though.
Talk to your spouse about the book you’re reading. Tell your kids about an idea that challenged you. Send a quote to a friend. Join a book club. Listen to a podcast together and discuss it afterward. Read alongside someone else. Let the things shaping you spill outward into the people around you. Just last week our family was driving somewhere and my wife put on a “Planet Money” podcast episode for the family to listen to in the car. We learned about Spirit airlines and the “plight” of the low-cost flight industry. Nothing any of us were asking about, but it was fascinating all the same!
Other people sharpen our understanding too. When we talk about what we’re learning, we discover what we really believe, where we’re still confused, and how different perspectives deepen our thinking. Learning becomes less like hoarding and more like cultivation.
A full jug sitting alone helps no one. I mean, it’s good to be the jug that is filled up, but water poured outward gives life to others. So yes, please read deeply. Read slowly and flex those muscles again. Pick up books that challenge and nourish you. But also find creative ways to pass along what you’re learning - even if it’s just a great story from a novel. I actually really enjoy hearing about the books my wife reads. So share ideas freely and invite others into the process.
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