Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Is ADD a problem that should grab the heart of the Church?

Rick Warren's devotion on Feb. 19, 2014 was titled, "Anger is a choice."  (http://purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/anger-is-a-choice/)  Challenging, but true.  His true ideas give birth to other challenging - and true - ideas.  "Giving attention" is a choice.  Just like anger, each choice begins with proper submission and obedience.
Let's think about this example:  A child is struggling to stay on task and give attention to his Math homework. After spending 30 or more minutes and not getting much done, the child (and perhaps the parent) walks away from the Math and the child begins to play basketball or maybe a video game.  An hour later, he is still focused on the game.
The child does not have a problem giving focused attention; the child is still weak in the habit of giving focused attention to a task that is difficult or that does not yet interest them.  Very likely, the child is also weak in the skill of receiving strength from someone trying to help them learn to give this kind of attention.  Instead of submitting and receiving help from a parent, older sibling, or teacher - the child fights the help.  This is indeed a problem needing resolution, but it is not an attention deficit problem.
Why is this a problem that should grab the heart of the Church?  Because this is the same weakness that will harden a heart; this is the same woundedness that prevents us from receiving the gift that is grace.  Instead of submitting and receiving the gift of the blood of Jesus - we fight the help.  We are afraid to need it, afraid to trust it, worry that it might not be enough for us today much less tomorrow.  We are determined to do it ourselves, our own way - or not at all.
Science has created a pill that "lends strength" to persons struggling to give focused attention to a task that is difficult or not interesting to them.  For some persons, this pill may be an important first step in learning what it means to "receive strength."  This pill, however, does not teach the habit of submission and the posture of humility.  If the pill teaches that performance is what matters, because the pill equips the child to complete the agenda and maybe even get a good grade - the pill has led us even farther away from the Gospel.  If performance is what matters, the cross is a waste.
Brene Brown writes in The Gifts of Imperfection, "Until we can receive with an open heart, we are never really giving with an open heart.  When we attach judgment to receiving help, we knowingly or unknowingly attach judgment to giving help."  Why should this, too, grab the heart of the Church?  Because this is the root of the lie that bears the fruit of big buildings next to overpasses that hide the bedrooms of the homeless.  This is the root of the lie that bears the fruit of mission trips instead of missional living.  This is the root of the lie that makes salt in a fallen world a great deal less salty.

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