Sadness is normal

I've just read this BBC news article about regaining the variety of terms we can use for sadness, rather than overusing "depressed" for all of them. I do think we lose something by using umbrella terms - and that people are more able to understand and empathise if we are specific: grieving, bereft, discouraged, diminished, empty...

But sadly I can't agree with the underlying premise that depression no longer carries a stigma. One person commentating on the article says:

It annoys me when people think the stigma is being broken. You try dropping it into normal conversation and see the room act like you have just dropped a massive fart.

This is my experience as well: either an embarrassed silence, a few muttered platitudes, or someone who has also suffered from depression wanting to confide in you their every experience. Friends and colleagues - once they know and understand - have been fantastic. But I still fear "coming out" as a depressive to anyone new. The stigma is alive and well.

Unanswerable questions

The search engine "Ask Jeeves" has done a survey of the top ten "unanswerable" questions. Here they are, along with my suggested answers:

1. What is the meaning of life? To know the God who made us and loves us, and to have a right relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
2. Is there a God? Yes! All creation points to Him (Romans 1 v 20) and all Christians should be pointing to Him too.
3. Do blondes have more fun? I don't know, but I've certainly had more people smiling at me since my hair went purple!
4. What is the best diet? Use up more energy than you eat.
5. Is there anybody out there? I'm a SciFi fan - but have to say that the most important person "out there" is God.
6. Who is the most famous person in the world? I don't know how "famous" is judged, but I believe that Jesus is the person who's had the most impact on the world, right down to the fact that we date our history from His birth.
7. What is love? "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." (1 John 3 v 16)
8. What is the secret to happiness? Peanut butter. (Or Philippians 4 v 12 if you prefer.)
9. Did Tony Soprano die? Dunno - but even if he did, it was probably just a dream someone had in the shower.
10. How long will I live? I don't know, but the Lord does (Psalm 139 v 16), so I try to live for Him and look forward to the day when I will see Him face-to-face.

I'm certain you can come up with some better answers though. Do please add them as comments - I'd find them helpful and I'm sure others will too.

The last "sin-eater"

I have to admit I'd never heard of a sin-eater until reading about them here. Apparently they were paid to eat bread and drink beer or wine over a dead body in the belief that they would take on the sins of that person. It sounds a worrying process to me: what if they skulked off early before eating enough, or all that beer made them sick? I'd much rather put my confidence in someone more trustworthy:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1 v 9

The triumphal entry

After years of waiting, the moment is nearly here - the arrival of the promised religious leader. His destination is known, published in advance, and his mode of travel as well. The faithful will flock to welcome him, shouting his praises and waving whatever comes to hand. For many, this long-awaited moment will be one to treasure and look back on fondly for years to come. The culmination of all their hopes. Maybe this is the man to bring a troubled country back to God.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9 v 9

Oh, sorry - did you think I meant the Pope?

Knowing temptation

Came across a great quote this week by C.S. Lewis, where he points out that only people who try to resist temptation can know how strong it is.

A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it; and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The root of anger

I've spent today doing a final proofread and corrections for Tim Chester's book Delighting in the Trinity (available soon from The Good Book Company). Along the way I came across this brilliant quote:

Let’s suppose I have a problem with my temper. Put me under pressure and I blow; I lose it; I fly off the handle. What would you say to me? Count to ten? Bite your tongue? It is good advice, but on its own it will not bring lasting change to my behaviour. We need to think what drives my temper. Maybe I need to feel in control and temper is how I exert control on a situation.

If so, then I need to be reminded that God is sovereign and He rules in love. Or maybe I feel insecure. If someone in my team at work fails, then I worry what others will think of me and so I blow. If so, then I need to be reminded that God in Christ accepts me through His grace. I do not need to justify myself because God has justified me. I do not need to fear others because God is the one I should fear. In both cases I have made an idol of myself. I want to control my world. I want to be in charge. But God is one. There is no place for other gods—especially not one like me!

Tim Chester, Delighting in the Trinity , p. 34-35