Open Book Who was Joyce Kilmer? William Blake? Mary Howitt? Who wrote “The World is Too Much With Us”? “Not in Vain”? “Grass”? Here’s an easier list. Who is Natalie Portman? Matthew McConaughey? Joaquin Phoenix? Keira Knightley? You knew all the movie stars, but the authors and their works were probably a little trickier. Why is it that teenagers prefer to watch movies instead of read? Is it because you can’t read or because you simply don’t want to? Is it because watching movies is easier? As Lutherans, we are constantly searching for the truth in a world that wants to overcome us with lies.To discern between the two requires knowledge.You’re old enough to know that you can’t rely on emotional responses or out-ofbody experiences or visions. So you’re going to have to think instead.You’ll need to read.You might do some contemplating.There will a lot of information to absorb. But you’ll learn, and that’s something that’s awfully hard to do that when you’re constantly glued to the TV screen. Staring at a TV doesn’t involve much thought. For the most part, watching sitcoms and movies requires a minimal amount of effort on our part. Someone else has already done all the work for us. Authors write the script. Graphic designers visualize the scenery. Actors portray character roles.Technical directors at TV stations push buttons. We sit, and occasionally we move our hand from the popcorn bowl to our mouth. When reading books, however, we get involved. We H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 28
use our imagination. We study the written word on the page. We make logical connections. We exercise our brains. Reading stretches us in ways that visual stimulation cannot. Reading will almost always cultivate and engage the mind. Watching old reruns probably won’t.That is why your pastor doesn’t show clips of The Passion of the Christ during the Divine Service. He reads the Gospel to you.They’re not of equal value. Reading is an important part of being a Christian. Our faith reaches out and clings to the words written down in the Bible. Everything we know of our Lord
