The Value and Benefit of a Personal Library

A wise seminary professor once told me the import of collecting good books.  Of course to read them and have that information at hand, but also for a much more selfless reason that seems to make so much sense.  That is to pass them along to generations or close friends down the line.  A good library is a great thing to have and is something I have been working on for a couple years now but can still grow in what I have.  Now I do not support a library for the sake of just having the book.  Books are meant to be read and studied, they are meant to become apart of the person who reads them.  That is the purpose of a library.  But of course we are only here temporarily until the Lord brings us home and when that time comes, what an encouraging and beneficial gift it is to be able to pass those books along to the next generation of young scholars.  In my case it is in the study of God and His scriptures and there are a lot of books concerning this subject but really only a few in comparison to the amount that is written on God that shine forth with ageless superiority. Martyn Lloyd Jones in his Preaching and Preachers spends an entire chapter to the preparation of the preacher as a man, and he says that this is best done by reading.  Read and know what is being discussed.  To be able to give a personal library to an up and coming theologian is a great and selfless gift and should, in theory, last many generations, with each generation adding to and complimenting the library.  This gives so much value to the books one chooses to read and buy.  It is not only for yourself now, but also for the benefit and uplifting of those in the future who will benefit from what books you have chosen in being apart of your library.  So read your books, seek out those rare gems of literature that have been historically influential in shaping man and society, and store them on a shelf in hopes of blessing those who come after you.  Not only will they thank you but you will be serving generations to come.