Birds: The Early Bird and the Night Owl are very similar types of scripture readers—the main difference being the biorhythm of each—the time of day in which they naturally have the most energy. Early Birds are inclined towards the morning, while Night Owls are inclined towards the evening. Both, however, tend to be habitual people who value routine, structure, and often (though not always) are visual learners.

Early Bird: Everybody knows the phrase, “The early bird gets the worm.” This is perhaps the most commonly preached-about pattern for how to read scripture. An Early Bird is somebody who likes structure, organization, and routine. Their quiet time in the Word is usually on a daily basis, in the morning. If you are an Early Bird, the beginning of the day tends to be the time when you naturally have the most energy or time to be still—maybe with a cup of coffee in your favorite peaceful space in the house. Reading scripture for this type is best done daily and in small portions, so you can meditate on your reading throughout the day.

Night Owl:  If you are a Night Owl, you enjoy the evening time. You seem to light up after dinner and have energy and good focus when most others are ready for bed. Night Owls are drawn to the same rhythmic things that an early bird is, but in the evening. You might find that this is a better time of day for you to have a moment truly alone and in stillness, as you reflect on your day. As a Night Owl, we suggest that you don’t read lying down but find a good place to sit, take notes on what you read, and make scripture reading part of your bedtime routine, so that you can continue to ruminate on what you have just read as you go to sleep.