I was recently part of a panel discussion when a question came up that I have heard various times and in various forms. It goes something like this: How much time should I spend reading the Bible compared to the time I spend reading other books? The question usually comes from someone who enjoys recreational reading, whether in the form of just-for-fun fiction or feed-my-soul nonfiction. He usually finds that he spends more time reading other books than he spends reading the Bible, and this leaves him grappling with guilt.
I understand the heart behind the question and appreciate the concern. Yet I can’t help but believe that it reflects something of a category error. Why do we compare reading the Bible to reading books rather than, for example, compare reading the Bible to eating our meals or spending time with a friend or spouse? I have never heard anyone ask, “Should I spend as much time reading the Bible as I do eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner?” I have never heard anyone say, “I feel guilty that I don’t spend as much time reading the Bible as I do conversing with my wife.” I don’t know many who compare
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