It is the Christmas season and, appropriately, a time for giving gifts. After all, as the Bible tells us, the new-born Jesus received gifts from the wise men.

The story is told of a man who enjoyed buying unusual and exotic presents to give to family members. One year this man found a gift for his father that was truly unique: a talking bird that knew words in five languages and sing “The Yellow Rose of Texas” standing on one foot.  So, at great expense, he purchased the bird and had it sent by courier to his father for Christmas. A few days later, the man visited his father to see if he was enjoying his unusual gift. He knocked on the door and said, “Dad, did you get my present?” “I sure did.” “How’d you like it?” The father answered, “It was delicious!”

Thought experiments have been important in quantum physics, think of Schrödinger’s cat. I have a thought experiment for you. Imagination and an ability to visualise will help. Can you see your Christmas tree or wherever you put your presents? You notice that there is an unexpected gift. It is wrapped in gold paper and has an elegant ribbon tied into a bow ? just waiting to be un-wrapped. There is a card attached and you are delighted to find that the unexpected gift is for you. It has your full name on it, and even more surprising the gift is from God!

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Text: Turn other cheek (Matt 5:38-42).

“But I say to you, do not resist an evil doer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give him your cloak as well; anyone forces you to go 1 mile, go also the 2^nd mile. (Matthew 5:39- 41).”

When we meet Jesus in the pages of the NT, he is someone completely unexpected. We are told to do the opposite of what would be our natural reaction: turn the other cheek, give your cloak as well as your coat, if someone forces you to go a mile – go the second mile.

I am continuing the series of psychological interventions and spiritual growth.

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Text: Matthew 7:24-27 Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them

Principle: Values guide our actions. Have you heard the expression of a ‘moral compass’? A friend of mine was accused of lacking one, and was most offended!  This assumes that we have guiding values, which like a compass provide us with a sense of orientation and how to behave appropriately.

The problem is that no one has a monopoly on values. Phil is one of my closest friends, we started high school together and have been friends for about 60 years. He is politically conservative and has moved to Queensland where he feels perfectly at home. We have had some conversations about Donald Trump. I believe there is no high moral ground when it comes to politics in Australia, generally we vote for different agendas because we have different values. Jonathan Haidt in The Righteous Mind: why good people are divided by politics and religion (2012) is a good exploration of this theme.

I should affirm pro-social values. After all Putin has values of patriotism and ‘might is right’. Perhaps a neo-Nazi bikie gang has values as well such as loyalty and not being a snitch. But generally pro social values are simply values which appeal to us. It is like our choice in pizzas: You might like Hawaiian, but I prefer Supreme.

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Text: “Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. (Proverbs 3:3)

Principle:

We often have racing thoughts, which basically go nowhere. Especially if we are upset or in emotional turmoil. How do we sort them out? How do we get a sense of perspective? It can help if we write them down. This puts our thoughts on a page.

In previous generations it was common to have a diary. Has anyone done that for a time? Or now? Today most people post on Facebook or use social media. But that is hardly a private space. I would like to focus today on the therapeutic and spiritual value of having a journal.

How to:

Keeping a journal is natural and straightforward. You write your experiences, thoughts, and feelings down on the page. This can take many forms such as a paper diary or on your computer in a word document. You can be creative using photos or drawings or art. Think of mediaeval manuscripts which incorporated words with art and often playful cartoonlike images. See the novel by the local author Robin Cadwallader with her Book of Colours.

The writing of a journal, can be a private experience and not to be shared with others unless by your choice. So consider security, perhaps with a locked file or password USB.

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Text: Matthew 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate.

Principle: Exposure, as a principle, is easily understood. If we are fearful, we tend to avoid. Exposure is facing what is daunting but in manageable ‘doses’ until the fear and even paralysis reduces to a manageable level.

The theory is essentially stimulus and response, in which the mind becomes habituated and alarm signals become weaker.

How to:

Exposure is simply about facing what makes us uncomfortable. Naturally we will react or become triggered, but this is welcomed not avoided. You can observe that every time you react, it gets a little bit weaker. If you avoid, the reaction get stronger.

There is something of a paradox in the concept of avoidance. We can do all sorts of good things: find a meaningful job, engage in an exercise program, go bushwalking, take up a hobby, join a club, contribute to charity, learn a new skill or socialise with friends. Even doing a good thing ? such as helping a church ? can be an act of avoidance, for example to distract from an uncomfortable emotion. One example of this is hyperactivity to mask depression ? the manic defence. Then the good thing is unlikely to be very satisfying. But facing the uncomfortable emotion, exposure, gives us the space to do good things and find them satisfying. More about this when we consider values and committed living in a later sermon.

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