Crisis Mode
Why is it that the only time some folks set aside their differences, whatever they may be, is most often during times of crisis?
Recently I was listening to a psychologist on the radio and he was talking about how endorphins stimulate the pleasure center of our noggins when we engage in activities or with people that give us pleasure. Specifically, he was talking about words of affirmation. Everybody likes to hear them. I knew not that the brain actually "lights up" with neural activity (whatever that means) for a short period when we are exposed to them. But, as with everything in life, there are two sides to this coin. There are many negative things we become addicted to whilst unknowingly rewiring our brains in order to reward and feed those pleasure centers. Admittedly not all addictions are created equal. Some are good, others are bad.
What is it about crises (death, natural disasters, etc) which have the uncanny ability to focus and immerse us in the moment? They usually cause us to gather in a place of safety and refuge with one another. Very often as soon the crisis is averted, we quickly nestle back into our corners of solitude and/ or attitude. A different approach seems to reign with personal conflicts. When they interrupt our otherwise blissful state, we ready ourselves for a round or two with those who don't think or act exactly the way we do thus battling the very same things that no longer seemed to matter a few moments ago. Trouble often lies ahead when we engage in verbal jousting at a certain point when our passion overtakes our patience. Until of course, a crisis once again presents itself. Rinse and repeat.
It seems logical to me that if we can get along during times of tribulation, then we should certainly possess and consider the ability to do so when our lives are going just peachy.
Thoughts?
Jim
Well said, Jim. Before being called into the ministry, I was studying to be an endocrinologist. One thing I learned during those years was the reality of how God wired us to glorify Him. When pleasures are misguided, our endorphins are used to maximize our default to exalt self, which ultimately exalts the enemy of God.