This evening in my Child Development class one of my students presented a paper on sensory perception disorder. It manifests itself as a process that sends mixed and often times offensive sensory data to a child’s experience. To a degree all of us have this disorder. Classrooms today no longer have blackboards but most of us remember to our horror the sound of chalk screeching its spine-chilling sound. There are things we cannot bear. For me it is green smoothies made with kale. For others it is the thought of eating jack cheese because it is made with goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk. I actually threw up one night when my mother made me eat turnips.
As my students (elementary teachers) were sharing their experiences and how to be sympathetic to children in their classrooms, it occurred to me that God, Himself, has sensory perception disorder. He is revolted and horrified when He sees us do things He knows will harm us. We get so used to certain kinds of sins they have little or no revulsion to us. However, our heavenly Father is repulsed, revolted and nauseated while watching us harm ourselves. He cares so much for us and He knows the extent of damage that we are inflicting upon ourselves and/or others.
Proverbs 6 has an interesting list of things God especially hates. “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” These things are to Him as the sound of chalk on a blackboard.
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 8, 2016
rogerbothwell.org