Does It Really Matter What We Read?

Have you ever came across this phrase: “It doesn’t matter what book it is, at least they’re reading!”? Perhaps you even think that way yourself. I’ve heard it many times, usually with a shrug and an “oh well.” As a busy mom of five children, I completely understand the sentiment.

When my kids were smaller we used to make frequent trips to our local library. It usually took a lot of my energy to keep my younger ones respectfully quiet, not to mention keeping an eye on every book they were excited to bring home. Knowing only basic English at that time and growing up on totally different books didn’t help either. All the books in the library were beautifully illustrated and seemed wholesome and innocent. It’s really tempting to judge book by it’s cover. Is it wise though?

I want to challenge us, as parents and adults (since it applies to us too), to aim higher. It truly DOES matter what we read and what we allow into our minds.

According to the Bible, we are called to think on things that are lovely, noble, right, excellent, of good report, things that are true, and things that are pure.(Philippians 4:8)

Understanding where to draw the line has been a journey for me, even with my own reading choices as an adult. It’s tempting to dive into the latest novels, memoirs, or self-help books. But are those always the best choices? Are they truly uplifting and pure? By filtering everything I read, as well as what I let my children read, through the lens of this verse, I find clarity in setting those boundaries.

Does that mean we can’t ever read anything that’s questionable (or non-Christian) and use it as a teaching moment? No, of course not.

Sometimes there’s a book we want to “check out” with my younger children. We read it together, and as I read, I either omit words or phrases that might not be appropriate for their age, or I take the opportunity to discuss why certain material is questionable. Together, we decide whether to continue reading. If there is an independent reading, I let my kids to decide if the book is worth reading. If it doesn’t , they don’t have to finish it.

This approach helps my children, with gentle guidance, to start thinking critically about what they read. What we read does affect us, and it will influence our children—for better or worse.

Let’s take the time to filter what comes into our homes. It’s always worth it. It DOES matter what we read. Life is too short to waste it on mediocre books.