Proverbs 14:26-27
Serving
the LORD provides stability for children. What a simple lesson, and yet so rare
a quality. It provides the most fundamental needs of children, and adults for
that matter. There are many areas where this is true, but here several on which
to focus.
Our
first proverb states that children will find a refuge created by their parents
who fear the LORD. One of the most basic jobs of parents is to provide protection
and safety for their children. This protection provides them with a secure base
from which to operate. When they have this secure base they can venture into
their world and explore. They do this because they know mom and dad will be
there if they need them.
Children
with a secure base are less anxious than children who don’t have this security.
They are able to play by themselves without clinging. They don’t act up when
something disrupts their world. They don’t need to. Their parents are there to
comfort them and meet their most basic emotional needs.
The
same thing holds true for adult relationships. When one spouse reaches for the
other in times of distress and there is a loving, caring response, anxiety
lowers and positive hormones are released. When they don’t respond the internal
alarm bells start ringing and the distressed spouse becomes even more distressed.
They go into the fight-flight-freeze response. Stress hormones are pumped into
the system creating chaos.
Our
relationship with the LORD can provide this kind of secure base. When someone
draws in close to Him our anxiety can drop, and the release of stress hormones
slows down. We need people to give the hugs and touches that mitigate so many
anxiety produced problems, but that is where the Church comes in. We can be
those arms extended.
When
stress gets lowered there are physical benefits. Our high-stress culture
contributes to our obesity problems. So if we get the stress under control it
will go a long way toward mitigating the negative health affects. It can
literally save our lives.
So
give someone a hug today. Help lower their stress.