Spock was a fascinating character. While he was intelligent and helpful to the crew, what set him apart was this: He had no emotions. Zero. None. Because Spock was Vulcan, he did not get happy, sad, scared, angry, or anything else. He was just the same guy all the time and was 100% logical. Spock and feelings did not go together.
More than once in my life I've thought, "Man, it would be so good to live like Spock and not have to deal with emotions." It has really appealed to me quite a few times along the way. Maybe some of you think that's crazy talk, but I know a lot of you understand exactly what I mean!!
Think about it this way. With emotions in the mix, many people have a "roller coaster" life with drastic ups, downs, twists, loops, and turns. Furthermore, the phrase "I feel" is often uttered around drama, foolish decisions, and exhaustion. It's hard to deny that life is complicated and difficult quite often when emotions are at play.
So what if we didn't have emotions? What if we, like Spock, had no feelings? Would that make life better?
Well, when I think about this, my mind always goes back to the same conclusions...
First, God made us in His image. He created us the way He did for specific reasons. And, He did hardwire us with feelings. We are emotional beings because God formed us in this fashion. He gave us the ability to experience happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and peace. So when we say we wish we had no emotions, we are questioning God's creative workmanship.
Second, emotions add color to life. It would be a dull, flat existence if we never experienced feelings. Feelings strengthen relationships and enhance the journey of life. They make life special and they add to our time here on Earth. And feelings can be the spice of life at times.
Third, maybe the solution is in the middle. Some folks are dominated by their feelings. Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, some want a life that feels nothing. It seems to me that the best life resides somewhere in between these two unhealthy extremes. I think the answer to all of this is to accept and enjoy the reality of our feelings without falling into the trap of worshipping them. The key is for us to manage our feelings instead of letting our feelings manage us. Yes, we will feel certain emotions. That's just who and what we are. But we don't have to be controlled by them. What is pleasing to God and what is wise has to matter more than what we feel. And we've got to remember that.
So when I think about this, here is my conclusion: As appealing as it would be to live like Spock and not have to deal with emotions, that's just not going to happen. God has given us emotions. And that's more than ok. The key is for us to thankful for feelings, but not let them rule from the throne of our hearts. It's far better if God, instead of our sometimes flawed feelings, is the dominant factor and guiding light of our lives. Feelings can lead us down some dark paths, but God will always lead us the right way.
It's ok for us to have feelings. Let's just be careful with them. They can be enjoyed and even helpful. But they don't have to dominate our lives. That's God's job. That's what makes our time on Earth better. And that's what makes us wiser.
P.S. May you all live long and prosper.
No comments:
Post a Comment