There was a well known experiment carried out in 1973 in America by a team working with a guy called David Rosenhan. Eight researchers booked in to different institutions with various symptoms as patients to test if mental health professionals could recognise their patients beyond the diagnostic label which had been applied to them. Their finding made interesting reading.... You can read more
The title of the study 'Being sane in insane places' for me is often what it feels like to be a Christian in the world today. There is much happening in our world that seems ludicrous and accepted as the norm. My heart breaks for those who are the product of dysfunctional parenting, relationships or self concept. I hate that self harming or depression is now considered a phase teenagers go through. I'm not ok with human trafficking or sex slavery and don't get me started on MP's expenses or bankers bonuses!
BUT then I wonder what do I accept, what do I allow to be the 'norm' because I'm too busy or too lazy to do something about it? In the Rosenhan study the participants didn't act up they were passive in their 'pseudo insanity' and I'm challenged how passive am I? In Matthew in the bible it talks about taking the beam out of your own eye before you try and remove the speck from someone else's!
People we need better eyesight, we need clearer vision to see the truth in an increasingly confusing world. This process requires humility because for us to deal with the junk in our own particular trunk we've got to be open to the resulting mess as we work through the crazy things we've accepted and absorbed. It takes courage to go into the mess of humanity with a mop and bucket and I applaud organisations such as IJM https://www.ijm.org/
- HFJ http://hopeforjustice.org.uk/ or Open Doors http://www.opendoorsuk.org/ who do brilliant work on behalf of the vulnerable. People as Christians we carry the hope of eternal life through relationship with Jesus; we carry His power to effect change and His love to heal.
We each have today - shall we begin?
Hugs Ruth
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