"Emotions are the voice of the human spirit"
Ken Nair - Life Partners
http://www.lifepartners.org/
Men are traditionally encouraged to ignore or suppress their emotions (excepting anger, impatience and frustration). In fact, our male entertainment idols can be stereotyped as stoic, impassive, emotionless (except for anger, impatience and frustration) and violent. It seems that every culture has some version of this male quality. From the "inscrutable" Asian to the "stiff upper lip" of the English we put forward the "poker face" as a character trait to be modeled, imitated and almost demanded (You're not going to cry are you?).
Even our Christian culture has devalued emotions. Remember the image of the train in the Four Spiritual Laws tract? The engine bore the label "FACT" followed by the coal car labelled "FAITH" and finally the caboose of "FEELINGS". We've been taught not to trust them. They are fleeting. We shouldn't pay them much attention.
The problem is this: Our ways are not God's ways. Isaiah 55:8 says "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD." While we naturally cast them aside as a "female weakness," God vaunts emotions as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..."
If we are to become spiritual leaders we must become familiar with the fruit of the Spirit as well as other emotions which may be hindering our own growth and those who may be following our leadership. More to follow...but in the mean time, remember...There's no crying in baseball.
Peace, Kim
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