Are you one of those guys who classify themselves as a non-reader? If so, I want to encourage you to drop that mindset and pick up a book. Try reading it, too. Checking out this blog is a good start, but reading a blog and reading a book are two different things. Warren Weirsbe said, “Your heart grows by giving out, but your mind grows by taking in; and both are necessary to a happy and balanced life.” If it's been a while since you read a book, here are four things to consider:

1. You can always improve.

There was a time in my life when I thought books were for smart people, bookworms, and nerds. I was a slow reader and never encouraged to read, so I spent my leisure time mostly in sports. It took the demands of college life to open my eyes to the importance, and necessity, of reading. While I'm still a slow reader, my comprehension and retention have greatly improved. As with many skills, the more you read, the better you get at it. Don’t consign yourself to the class of non-readers. No matter your age, you can start and become a proficient reader.

2. Discipline yourself.

If you are not thrilled about reading and find no delight in it, consider it a duty. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have an obligation to be ever “increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10) Aside from the Bible, there are a plethora of good books that will not just inform your mind but also feed your soul. If you’re married and have children, you have a responsibility to teach and model truth to your family.

Second, being able to teach others implies being able to learn. Therefore, you should also think of reading as an exercise of the mind. A lot of men are punctilious when it comes to the care of their bodies while completely neglecting the care of their minds. Exercising your mind with good books means comprehending the author's message and then putting what you learn into practice. There is no better way to keep your mind sharp than by reading good books.

3. Be selective.

The greatest reading challenge in the ever-expanding universe of literature is that of selection. King Solomon wrote, “Of making many books there is no end.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) Thus, the question isn't whether to read, it's what to read. I hesitate to recommend books because we’re all different, and what appeals to me may not appeal to you. I’ve been encouraging you to read “good books.” What constitutes a good book? I’ll let one of my favorite authors, A.W. Tozer, answer:

“The best book is not one that informs merely, but one that stirs the reader up to inform himself…That writer does the most for us who brings to our attention thoughts that lay close to our minds waiting to be acknowledged as our own. Such a man is a midwife to assist at the birth of ideas that have been gestating long within our souls, but which without his help might not have been born at all.”

Be cautious about putting things into your mind that may lead you astray. Robert Murray M’Cheyne once wrote to a friend: “Beware of the atmosphere of the classics. We ought to know them; but only as chemists handle poison—to discover their qualities, not in infect their blood with them.” Even “best-sellers” can be bad books. Good books are those that strengthen faith and sharpen minds.

4. Make a plan.

Becoming a good reader requires discernment and common sense. Personally, I categorize my reading into three groups. First, I read for preparation. As a pastor, I am constantly reading commentaries and theological works in order to build sermons. Second, I read for pleasure which means either fantasy (Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is my all-time favorite) or novels recommended by trusted friends. Finally, I read for improvement; books that will instruct and inspire me to be a better man. This includes books on doing ministry, biographies of people who accomplished great things for God, and histories that inform my understanding of this world.

Figure out what you should read before what you want to read. If you need help, seek the recommendations of someone you trust and with whom you share similar likes and dislikes. Put together a plan that includes specific times for reading and set goals for yourself, like reading a certain number of books during the year.

Finally, consider what Henry David Thoreau wrote in his famous work, Walden.

To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object…. How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book.