The Vagus Nerve Connected to the…

In a previous post I introduced the Vagus Nerve… and how it alerts us to external conditions (they can be real, like a lion, or only exaggerations in our mind) by giving us butterflies in our stomach.

The way a Dr. could easily check to see if your Vagus Nerve is operational is by checking your gag reflex by using a large cotton swab to the back of the throat.

If you gag… your fine.

That gag reflex made me think of how smart God was in designing our biology.

In order to make us gag easily He placed our nose right above our mouth.

He doesn’t have to stick anything down your throat… all He does is give you a pretty good sense of smell.

Think about that.

You get a good whiff of something way before you put it in your mouth… and if you are three years old… or older… you understand that you don’t put it in your mouth… if it stinks and makes you gag from a foot away.

Pretty good design if you ask me.

I’ve been thinking to myself lately, “Why do I give my personal, perceived, negative character failings… not good with money, not much of a man, not much energy… way more weight than the reality of my real, day to day actions…”

Good things like… I like going to work, I like babysitting my granddaughter, I like staying up late writing, I like doing a brake job (or two) for my oldest son, I like helping when I can (doesn’t matter what kind of help you need), I like figuring out my energy needs for a twelve hour shift and creating a workout routine that allows me to become stronger and doing that workout after the twelve hour shift, so when I get up I can spend time with my wife while having a cup of coffee.

So why do I allow an untrue negative thought make all that good stuff stink?

Why does a little negative… outweigh a whole lotta good?

Here’s a bit of fun for you… stay with me here.

The Vagus Nerve (and other cranial nerves) are labeled with Roman numerals, the Vagus Nerve is Roman numeral X or 10; my age places me in Generation X;

And Ecclesiastes 10:1 is where X marks the spot and it reads…

“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
    so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.“

You could say, mine, and yours, negative thinking can be considered… crap!

Now how much… crap… would you allow in a glass of cool, clear, water you were about to drink… before you would consider it too heavily contaminated.. for you to drink it?

How much weight do you give to, say… a cow turd?

Is one drop ok? A tablespoon full? Half the glass?

Think about this… one drop may not be visibly noticeable… but it might smell a little funny.

God and I have been talking about those negative, sinful, thoughts and behaviors that I still try to just shove into a mental closet, hoping they don’t ooze out at an awkward time. And ruin me.

The old saying, “You may get egg on your face!” isn’t as nasty as having cow crap splash on you… even when you are doing something good like milking the cows.

God and His word are quite clear about harboring a secret, personal, “I can handle it,” thought life of sins and negativity… those thoughts get heavy, like ten lbs of cow crap in a five lb gunny sack, it’s gonna come through!

Leviticus 5:5 explains… “When anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned.”

And then because we don’t have the authority, or strength, to forgive our sins ourselves… if we look to Jesus…

1 John 1:9 explains… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

God talks a lot about small things that become large… or a problem… later on.

For instance… Mustard seeds; a little yeast; a remnant of people; a thorn lodged in someone’s side… or… a little sin you keep for yourself, like a piece of chocolate you’ve hidden for later when the kids go to bed.

I have to believe that Gods Word of being “faithful and just” is just as heavy, or more so…than the weight I give my crappy sin or negativity… and that His blood is capable of “purifying me from all unrighteousness.”