Welcome back to the Reading Journal! Thanks for showing up to check out this week’s entry. These entries are short, weekly posts in which I share some of what I’ve been reading and process it.
This week, I finished up Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford, and began Rules for Reformers, by Douglas Wilson. There’s not much else to say by way of introduction, so let’s get right to it.
Shop Class as Soulcraft
As mentioned above, I finished this book this week. I found the last bit of the book relatable and could think of examples in my own life that verified what he suggested.
One of the main principles that resonated with me from the last couple of chapters was the fact that computers and manuals often can’t solve real-world problems. Much like the theoretical string as opposed to the real string he mentioned earlier in the book, theoretical issues (e.g., a part failure) and actual issues (e.g., any number of things, from metal corrosion to sensor failure to something unique and unpredictable) are very different from one another. I’m dealing with this with one of my vehicles right now. The computer is giving a code for a specific issue but it’s become clear that that is not the issue. Now, I have to troubleshoot to see what the actual problem is, all while several lights glare at me from the dash every time I drive the car.
The concept from this book, though, that will probably be the one I carry with me for years to come is his suggestion of what makes for fulfilling work. He suggests that work that is truly fulfilling is work that the worker believes helps others live a more human life. Crawford was an electrician for a time but, he says, he chose to be a motorcycle mechanic because he believes that people who regularly ride motorcycles are doing something right when it comes to living a life that is in line with human nature, so he wants to help them do it well.
I think he’s exactly right about this and that it fits well into the biblical view of work. If work is fundamentally service to our neighbor, then what better service can we offer than helping others live more consistently with their created nature, helping them to live more humanly? This is why a list of legitimate occupations wouldn’t end at the utilitarian ones. A musician, a painter, and a landscaper are all able to glorify God in their work by serving their neighbor. They help others to glorify God as well and enjoy the good gifts He’s given. This idea has caused me to adjust my own thinking about work.
Rules for Reformers
This book by Douglas Wilson provides suggestions and exhortations for how Christians should engage the culture. The first several chapters of the book lay out the principles of reformation for those Christians who want to reform their towns, counties, states, etc. Many of the principles I’ve heard before but the reminders were good. Some of them were put in a different context, which was also helpful. I can see how Christ Church in Moscow has used these principles to influence their community and appreciate how these aren’t just abstract principles to Wilson; he’s lived them out.
A couple of principles of reformation have stood out to me in this book so far. First, an idea with which I was already familiar but needed a reminder was the idea of being on the offensive. This doesn’t mean always being the one attacking or pushing for ground, but it does mean being the one calling the shots. We should be the ones making the decisions to which the opposition has to respond.
Another short section I found interesting was Wilson’s list of things that can hinder mobility. One of them was laziness. It seems obvious but I don’t always think of laziness as a serious hindrance as it would be in a battle. Yet, Scripture is clear that we live in an embattled world. Delay or procrastination are deadly in a visible war, so why would I assume they are less so in the invisible one? The section was a good reminder to stay diligent and alert, not growing slack in the middle of a war.
This book, so far, has convicted me regarding my perspective and lack of action in specific areas of my life. If I truly want to see a reformation begin in my home and church, I must be willing to act. To be blunt, my primary issue is caring too much about what others will think of me if I say certain things or act a certain way. This book is helping me to see things from a bigger-picture perspective that, I pray, will help me to act in a more principled and disciplined way.
Well, that concludes this week’s entry. I’ve already begun J.R.R. Tolkien’s, The Fellowship of the Ring, and will share thoughts on it next week. I’ve read The Lord of the Rings before, but it’s been many years, so it’s time I revisit them with a new perspective. I’ll also have continued observations and thoughts from Wilson’s book for reformers.
As always, leave a comment with what you’re reading and your thoughts on these titles. I’m always up for a conversation! If you know someone who may benefit from or enjoy this content, please share it with them.
Finally, thank you for showing up week after week to read the Reading Journal! I pray the Lord uses the writing here to bless His people and exhort us all to holier living.
In Him and for His Glory
Thanks for this! I just finished my first pass thru Tolkien last month, and it was amazing. I plan on many more reads through, Lord willing. I’ve been reading Chesterton’s Father Brown, Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism, and the Gospel of Luke recently.