Opening a bottle of Kretchmer’s Wheat Germ fascinates me. The small grains of wheat germ swirl around like a tiny volcano as outside air rushes into the vacuüm sealed bottle.

That principle of air rushing into a vacuüm explains a lot of human experiences. A family with a vacuum of spiritual influence will be filled by other influences. A bored or purposeless adult will seek ideas or things to fill the void. And a human mind will always find objects to fill its curious spaces.

Seeking to draw in that which delights, informs, satisfies, quenches, and motivates is the nature of human beings. Sometimes the process of drawing in occurs silently without the individual’s knowledge or control. In this case, the individual is a passive participant in life. A willing victim.

At other times the process of drawing in is purposeful and intentional. The individual is an active participant, knowledgeable and in control of her/his life.

This is the reason that the Bible makes such a big deal out of reading and study. God knows that without active participation, human beings are vulnerable and weak respondents. The ancient Jews discovered this as they allowed false gods, alien cultures, and dark superstitions to swirl into their lives and corrupt their minds.

There is much said in the Bible about reading and study, principally because a mind absent a positive and godly influence allows other influences to swirl into it. This idea may be found in Moses’ warnings to the Children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land.

“There are some things the Lord our God has kept secret, but there are some things he has let us know. These things belong to us and our children forever so that we will do everything in these teachings,” Deuteronomy 29:29.

Paul told young preacher Timothy that he should “study” in order to be a well-prepared disciple, 2 Timothy 2:15.

There is a rather obvious assumption that is made by these and other texts, namely that there must be a consumption of godly ideas in order to be the sort of God-follower described by the Bible. This preparation will not come through the television, the newspaper, the latest gossip magazine, Cosmopolitan, or any other media wanting to swirl into one’s mind.

Which brings us back to the original idea of this series, and that is that certain things occur only by being a diligent reader.

This is a very challenging idea, especially in a generation that does not choose to read and be improved by it. People who do not read relinquish control of their lives so that there is no thought or purpose to their lives in a godly direction.

Reading prepares people in every aspect of life.