The Journey 305
Thursday, November 1
Read: 1 Corinthians 12
    Math, Physics and Chemistry–What do these three subjects have in common?. We all will easily say that all three come in category of Science Subjects. But ask kids who are in High School to classify these subjects as tough and easy, I believe a majority would say that science subjects are tough and not easy. Personally I admire students who take up careers majoring in subjects like Math and Chemistry, because these are two subjects that I just love to hate, basically because I don't understand, and my comprehension of both Chemistry and Math was very poor. Thus as a kid whenever I had Math problem or Math homework to be done, and with parents sitting along with you to supervise your home work, I would rate those moments  as the most scary moments, worse than watching a horror movie. This was because of the tension associated with the study of math. I believe my fears have been proven right by a research conducted by Ian M Lyons and Sian L Beilock  from the Department of Psychology, University of Chicago. The findings of the article has been published only yesterday in the  PLOS Journal and this research articles is being quoted in the news media too. According to this research, doing math or thoughts of doing a math's problem brings about anxiety that activates region of the brain which triggers of experience of pain and visceral threat detection. Therefore  higher an individual is anxious about doing math, greater is the activity in the region of brain, that are associated in physical sensation of pain. Thus more anxious the student is about doing a math homework, his/her sensation of pain also increases. In other way just as individual experiences pain while having a migraine attack, in the same way a student who is about to do math homework may experience a similar, lesser or higher pain. What a finding. I am sure people who teach science subject or a math teacher could raise eye brows and frown at such a finding. But all said and done, how come there are also students who enjoy doing Math and also enjoys subject like Chemistry while there are majority who does not enjoy these subjects and as a result the very thought of studying Chemistry, thoughts that a Math problem has to be solved bring about physical sensation of pain is something that needs to be probed and researched.  Though there are many factors contributing to all these, I would like to mention two major aspects in this observation. A student can love  a particular subject only if the teacher who teaches that student also loves the subject and has a passion to teach that subject. If this happens the comprehension of the subject even if it is tough subjects like Math and Chemistry will be made easy. Fear and pain is a natural reaction because I don't have any clues to move further and I am getting stuck. Secondly it is in such a context that one should love and have a passion to study the subject as far as the student is concerned and as far as teachers are concerned, a passion and love to teach that particular subject. This is true in any field even when it is connected to  Christian Ministry. This is a truth that we need to learn in our life.
                 We are meditating on the theme “ Transformed Living” and the portion that we shall use for our meditation is from 1Corinthians 12.  It is in chapters, 12, 13 and 14 of 1 Corinthians, that Paul teaches the believers of the Church in Corinth as to God has given a unique gift and ministry to each of his children that He has chosen. Each individual has been given a specific and a unique gift and talent by the Holy Spirit. [ 1 Cor 12:6 ]. This teaches us that we need to find that gift that God has given to us and it is that unique talent and gift that will give us a passion in life. Hence only when we are passionate about something that we do can we enjoy doing that. This is true in relation not only in doing Christian ministry, but also doing a math problem. But somehow today there are many individuals who have not been able to discover their passion and goal in life and are therefore engaged in activities and goals that drain their energy, enthusiasm in life. Thus every day for them is most hazardous,  tedious and stressful. There are lot of people who without discovering their God given calling, talents and gifts are working in fields where they are forced to work or they did not have much options and hence working for the sake of work. Thus you may have teachers who teach not because they love teaching, but are forced to take up teaching or teach a subject that they were never passionate about. This could be true even among clergy. It is when individuals who do not love the ministry that they do, or do not enjoy the work that they do, create a work force or a set of students who also don't like that type of work or the subject that they teaches. Hence let us understand each of our calling and gifts and be passionate in our ministry and in our work so that we become a channel where others could love and be passionate about life and job that they do even if going is tough.