We have a mighty fine library in this town. The place is inviting, the staff is helpful and patient and it is a great environment for peace and quiet. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of customers. Well, except for the older generations who still enjoy a good evening, sitting on the couch or that big old stuffed chair and reading until it's sack time. Not many young folks, though, because why read when there are tons of video games, hundreds of free movies on the TV, all kinds of gossip to find on smartphones, and most don't care what's going on in a world that doesn't make sense.

The kids I talk to tell me that most classes teach how to pass tests and use PowerPoint rather than lecture, give homework assignments and textbooks (too heavy, too expensive and just updated sixth editions). Anyway, why read some boring out-of-date classic when the student can get a decent grade by using short summaries like CliffsNotes, Spark Notes or Shmoop? Just write down some names, dates and an idea or two.

It's like solving an Algebra problem by using a computer or smart phone to get the answer without having to understand the process or what the solution means.

Now, we move on.

I remember the time when our middle son, George, told me he was having trouble reading many of the school assignments and asked if could I help. By the way, doing homework with him was not what he wanted. He could read, but couldn't understand what he read. He told me, "Dad, I can read a chapter, but haven't a clue what it means."

I knew what he was saying. When I was in seminary, I felt like a total out-of-place doofus. Try opening textbooks with words like supralapsarianism or antidisestablishmentarianism. 

I kid you not. I had to buy and constantly use a dictionary, thesaurus and even up-to-date Sunday school material that put theology into lay terms. I digress.

Back to George. Hang on, now. When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher gave us some homework that required a library visit. She might as well have asked me to visit the local prison. Here was this big old three-story building, downtown and very creepy. I went to the front desk and said, "Here I am. Here's what I have to do. How do I do it?"

"Fill out this form for a library card and here is a piece of paper that explains the Dewey Decimal System. Go to the second floor and find the stacks that have books on your subject. You can check out four. The library closes at 5:30. Good luck."

Use your imagination! On the way back, I passed a stack of books and just happened to notice a title, "Tarzan of the Apes", by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I took it home, read it twice and was hooked forever! There were some two dozen books in the series and I read every one. I found that I loved to read and my academic life changed and improved way beyond my expectations.

George and I drove to the nearest book store and I bought him the first book in the Tarzan series and said, "Just try it. Tell me what you think."

George has never stopped reading. He received his doctorate about 20 years ago and has recently published three books for those who like mystery, violence, getting even and rough and tough heroes who operate in the dirty side of town.

Do we realize that one-third of most communities is functionally illiterate? Do we understand what it means to a person who cannot reach his or her potential because of his or her inability to read and write? Do we grasp the fact that the world takes advantage of the millions who cannot protect themselves from the absurd actions of powerful leaders because those millions rely on what they hear and not what they read?

Next to my very ugly -- according to those ingrates who don't understand antique beauty -- chair is a box that holds my favorite book, The Bible. It's interesting to know that God used the oral tradition for eons until the appearance of writing some 10,000 years ago. Oral tradition was okay except the speaker had the tendency to elaborate, embellish and fabricate just enough to make the story more exciting, interesting or acceptable to the listener. Not so for the written Word! I know that my Bible has been translated into every language in the world and that those translations are true to the original meaning. Of course, there are some few changes, but that is for the cultural differences of language and custom.

We can all know what God has said! We can read what God requires! What a gift God has given to us!

Thanks, God!