I know, I’ve been posting a lot about reading and how reading affects us in different areas and different ways.  This will be the last post along these lines for now.

I recently heard a Christian parent claim that her twelve-year-old didn’t like to read, and this really bothered her because she, herself, has always been an avid reader.  She went on to say that a few years later, her daughter took an interest in the Twilight series and, apparently read that series, and she was happy that her daughter had found books that she enjoyed reading.

I couldn’t believe that she was okay with this!  The Twilight series are not something that I think any Christian should be reading.  I think that too many Christians have become lax in being wary of the things of this world.  The Bible tells us to guard our hearts!  I think we get so wrapped up in life here on earth and are so busy, that we often don’t think about the eternal consequences of our actions.

I Corinthians 15:58:  “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

I Corinthians 16:13:  “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”

Wrong thinking, wrong ideas, and wrong actions all begin subtly.  Evil creeps in subtly, slowly, inch by inch, and it is easy for it to go unnoticed until it has grown large and you are ensnared.  That is why it is so important to be careful of whatever we read, watch, listen to, and what activities we participate in.  You may think, or be convinced by a friend or relative, that something is harmless, when it is, indeed, evil.

The Twilight series is not the kind of thing that I nor my children will be reading.  It takes just a tiny piece of something to get in to your heart and/or mind to lead you down the wrong path.

Remember, the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.”

You may disagree with what I have written here, but I have a friend whose daughter was reading a book, and my friend noticed that her daughter began to be more disagreeable and disobedient than she had been, and my friend asked her about the book she was reading and found that the book included characters that were disrespectful and disobedient to their parents.

I apologize if this post sounds a bit preachy for my blog, but sometimes I feel the need to take a stand on something, and I do NOT agree that as long as your child finds something they like to read, that’s a good thing.  By the way, we can encourage our children to learn to enjoy reading by reading aloud to them.  I have done this with my children from little on up, and they love it.  Even my teens still like to hear me read aloud occasionally, and all of my children love to read.  Reading the right books help us to learn and grow.  They support our creativity and imagination and take us on wonderful adventures.  But not everything in print or ebook is acceptable reading.