The Library

It has been said that not all readers lead, but all leaders read.

God puts certain longings or compulsions in man to accomplish his will upon the earth. He designs some men to be leaders and expects them to use their mind. One facet of an intelligent mind is knowledge. Knowledge gained by the collective minds of those who have gone before. Experience may be the best teacher, yet one would be a fool to not learn from the mistakes of others. And where better to find this type of knowledge than in the library?

The library is a magical land. Where else can you travel to Mongolia, visit Narnia, and delve into the private thoughts of St. Augustine all while drinking a cup of coffee?

It is the site where the intellectual armament is kept to do battle against the foes of ignorance. It is the heart and soul of the University. It is the brain, the storehouse of knowledge. It is where the future Winston Churchhills and Margaret Thatchers go to build their intellect.

In order for man to uphold and defend Christianity in the most logical and lucid manner possible, he needs a place to acquire the necessary principles to fight. Not just any place will do. The enemy is wily and cunning. He is the Father of Lies and falsehoods are his specialty. He once caused a race of beings to fall into disgrace. Fortunately, that disease has been cured. Yet, the effects linger and he remains at large.

But man is a being of one. He is not omnipresent and has only a limited period of time devoted to learning. He needs help.

Throughout history the enemy has planted subtle lies and deceits. But he is not creative. He can only mock and pervert the good. What is done has been done before, and what is seen has been seen before. There is nothing new under the sun. A wise man goes to the storehouse of knowledge and builds himself up. He studies the ancient histories and discovers what works. Little by little, he constructs a castle, a safe haven, an impenetrable fortress where others can find peace and safety.

The Master has said, “Study to show yourself approved.” He would know. As the wisest of the wise, much of his youth was spent in study.

Christian leaders, as God’s representatives, should strive to achieve a level of proficiency and excellence far surpassing their secular peers. They do a great disservice to mankind when they do not give the best of their ability to their chosen field of endeavor. The world knows greatness when they see it. They also know a fool and despise him worse than one of their own.Solomon said seek Wisdom, though it costs all you have. The stacks would be a start.

In training news: I ran exactly zero miles today because I'm recovering. Yesterday I ran 4.5 miles and saw no snakes. Just a bunch of gnats, ducks, herons, stork-like flying creatures, and napping snapping turtles lounging in the shallows.