Bad Water and Your Work

Perhaps you saw our demonstration of water filtration, able to take some of the dirtiest water and filter it 99.9999% pure from all biological contaminants. Perhaps you also were able to see how delivering water filtration kits to impoverished areas like western Kenya can have a huge impact on a family finally getting reliable, clean water to drink and wash with. And perhaps it's easier to see some of these basic principles when they are far removed from your personal situation.

Why are there water-borne diseases? These diseases are devastating, and able to wipe out entire populations - all from contaminants that are so small that we have to use kidney dialysis technology in order to affordably filter them out. Why do such things exist? Beyond the physical causes (improper sanitation, inadequate water treatment, mixed-use sources, etc.), what is the reason for these diseases?

Ultimately, because of the Curse. Because man rebelled against God, this Creation is fallen and in many ways, and conspires against the flourishing of man. Water-borne diseases are part of that conspiracy. So we can say that these diseases are collateral damage of an ongoing cosmic spiritual battle.

Therefore, we can also say that water filtration has a spiritual significance. The process is purely mechanical, fitting neatly within all the applicable rules of physics in a completely naturalistic process. But it is spiritually significant. Water filtration is part of the fight in the great spiritual battle of the Universe, fought on the battlefield of drinking water.

Believe it or don't believe it, it's at least easy to comprehend. This is not a hard concept to grasp. And so it's not hard to see how those who make water filters are part of the great battle (whether or not they know it). It's not hard to see how those who distribute water filters are part of the great battle. It's not hard to see how those who finance the distribution of water filters are part the great battle, even if it's a very thin slice of a much larger reality.

Now let's bring this home to your vocation and your work. Maybe it's not so obvious as water filtration, but using this as an example, can you look at your work through this lens? Can you see how your work could well be part of the great battle of the Universe? Is there some chaos that you bring order to? Is there some harm that you bring prevention or healing to? Is there some ignorance that you bring light to? Is there some brokenness that you bring wholeness to? Is there some rebellion that you contain? Is there some way you battle against the effects of the Fall?

Can you see how the work of your hands fits into the great cosmic spiritual battle played out in our Universe? If so, then you can see how your work is spiritually significant, even if it involves strictly physical processes. A mighty weapon in the spiritual battle can be as simple as a water filter.

Neurotheology

I’ve written a few times recently about how brain science informs us about issues related to discipleship and compassion. We’re learning how trauma affects the brain at a physiological level, explaining some of the difficulties children who’ve been through trauma have in regulating their behavior (which can be misinterpreted as sinful defiance). We’ve learned that the brain are also altered by repeated lies about one’s worth - flat out lies can damage your brain.

What about on the positive side? So far, we’ve looked at some negative impacts on the brain, but what about good things? Are there ways to positively affect the brain particularly in ways that relate to matters of faith?

The answer is not only “yes,” but “amazingly so!”

There is a branch of brain science called Neurotheology (there are also other names for it). One of the primary researchers is Andrew Newberg. Researchers in this field are not advocating for any particular religion or religious tradition, but examining the impact on the brain of religious practices - even practices that many Christians may object to. In other words, they are not trying to prove anything religious, but to describe the physiological impact of various religious practices.

What research is showing is that the kinds of things God calls us to do actually have a positive impact on the brain. The practices we typically call spiritual disciplines contribute to a healthy brain - practices like prayer, meditation (e.g. meditating on God’s Word, but also non-Christian practices of meditation), simplicity, memorization (e.g. of Scripture), community, and so on.

We often look to the spiritual disciplines as things we do to have some sort of direct impact - I pray to get answers or feel closer to God, I meditate to learn and understand, I practice simplicity to have less stress and more margin, and so on. The trouble is that if I fail to see those direct benefits, I soon fall out of the practice of spiritual disciplines. Why keep doing it if I’m not seeing the results I expect in a timely fashion? I have other things to do.

But perhaps we’ve been completely underestimating the value of the spiritual disciplines! Not to take away one bit from the direct benefits, but it’s completely possible that God encourages us to practice these disciplines because He, the creator of the brain, knows that these practices contribute to healthier brains! Perhaps He wants us to practice the spiritual disciplines for the additional, indirect, physiological benefits that come with the disciplines. He would also know that healthier brains are part of healthier lives, choices, attitudes, and practices.

It’s amazing to me that God directs us to do something that brain science is discovering to be healthy for our lives at a physiological level. Why wouldn’t He? Why wouldn’t the manufacturer give instructions on how to keep the product in good repair? And that’s just the brain - it’s quite possible that there are many other physiological benefits to the habits God teaches us to have.

Communion with God is vital for the spiritual life of a Christian, and the spiritual disciplines are time-tested habits to foster that closeness. But it very well may be that the disciplines are also intended to make our lives better by making our brains better. And inasmuch as non-Christian traditions practice the same disciplines or reasonable facsimiles, it stands to reason that they would also see some of the same physiological benefits. God causes it to rain on those who do not follow Christ just like He causes it to rain on those who do.

If you have fallen out of the habits or have grown stale in them, reconsider what God’s goals may be. It’s not always for a mountaintop experience - changing the oil and rotating the tires rarely is, but it sure makes the drive better and last longer.

The Crusades are *Great* for Witnessing

You've probably heard it more than once. You're having a conversation with someone, and the dialog moves in the direction of spiritual things. You are (somewhat) prepared to discuss spiritual matters, and you feel like it could be a decent, civil conversation. But then ... they throw out the Crusades. There it is. No matter that it was 800 years ago, and you had nothing to do with it. Now you have to deal with it before the conversation can go anywhere ... if it's going to go anywhere. "How can you believe something that is responsible for that?"

Often, the Crusades "trump card" is a smokescreen. I rarely find that the Crusades really are the sticking point with someone. But, it's a lot more convenient than the real sticking point - which is often fear, guilt, shame, or other uncomfortable thought. It's much easier to talk about dead people who did bad things thousands of miles and hundreds of years removed from my fear, my guilt, and my shame.

But you still have to respond. What are your options? First, you can put down the people of the Crusades, which they deserve, but now you've presented Christian against Christian. Second, you can claim the Protestant-Catholic distinction, but then you've inserted denominationalism, which usually only makes it more complicated. Third, you can virtually ignore it and say, "But I'm talking about you," which really is the point, but leaves the question unanswered, as if Christianity doesn't have all the answers.

Sounds sticky. But actually, this can be an excellent opportunity to really talk about the Gospel! However, rather than trying to provide simple, pat answers to a complex problem, use this legitimate question as an opportunity to ask questions back to the one who asked. Use their question to cause them to ask even better questions.

Try questions like: "Do you think that their actions were in agreement with what Jesus taught?" and "What would have happened back then if these people took the words of Jesus seriously?" In the process, you've got to talk about what Jesus really did teach. Explore the issue with them, but find out what they think, rather than telling them what they ought to think. Let them explore the claims of Christ by comparison. Your point isn't to solve the problem with the Crusades, but to have that person interact with Jesus and His claims. So invite them to explore!

Instead of the Crusade question being a barrier, it's now a springboard. It's really not a bad question for them to ask, and we should reinforce that it's a reasonable question. But rather than trying to answer it, let it be a tool to talk about Christ.

In general, I find that asking questions to explore spiritual truths and respecting the other person enough to listen without arguing is a far more engaging and safe way to talk about spiritual matters, especially with the skeptic. It honors the person, it helps them discover (rather than be spoon-fed), and it moves the agent of change from your words to their internal thoughts.

You really don't have to have all the answers - so don't expect that of yourself. It helps, though, to ask really good questions.

Pullin' weeds

Every time I pull weeds, I can't help but think of the spiritual lessons I'm holding in my dirt-encrusted hands, thinking about the "weeds" of the spiritual life.

• It's easier to pull weeds when they are small, rather than letting them grow talk, thick, and strong. Letting spiritual problems grow stronger only makes it harder to remove them later.
• Rather than bypass the thorny weeds, wear gloves. Some spiritual problems are painful to deal with. Rather than ignore them, letting the thorns get thornier, bring in the right equipment to handle the job - such as a wise counselor, a good book, a change in lifestyle, giving up something in order to remove the weed, and so on.
• Some weeds are insidious because they drop new roots every few feet, making them harder to remove - killing one section doesn't kill the next section. Spiritual problems can foster other spiritual problems, which then take root all by themselves. Better to remove the weed early before it drops new roots a few feet across the lawn.
• You gotta get the root, or the weed comes right back. It's tempting to deal only with the surface of spiritual issues, rather than getting to the root of the problem. Just masking a spiritual problem to look good in front of the neighbors only allows the roots to grow stronger and pop up new surface issues harder to remove than before.
• Sometimes you gotta dig to get at the root. Sometimes, you need people who are trained in counseling to really figure out what the root problems are. But you must get to them to get rid of the weed.
• The neighbors have weeds, too. Rather than worrying about how my lawn compares to the neighbor's lawn, I need to tend to my lawn, and to have empathy for the weeds in his lawn. We're both trying to grow healthy lawns, so comparing doesn't help anyone.
• Weeding is never finished. Tending to your spiritual life takes constant, life-long effort.
• The best way to keep weeds out is to have a thick lawn with healthy roots. The best way to keep spiritual weeds out is to be as healthy as possible in my spiritual life, disciplines, and practices.
• If I do nothing, the weeds will take over. If you do little to maintain your spiritual life, you won't just stay in the same state - weeds will take over, and your spiritual life will decline. 

I'm sure you could come up with several of your own analogies. Usually after weeding, I'm motivated again to clear some weeds out of my life, too. I like how the lawn is healthier without all those weeds in it.