Articles
The Psychology of Scripture
Human beings are incredibly complex creatures psychologically speaking. What is fascinating, however, is that Scripture doesn’t address us that way. On one hand, the Spirit gives us rather simple instructions about our attitudes and behavior; on the other hand those instructions seem aimed at the very deepest needs and motivations of mankind.
For example, in his book Popular, psychologist Mitch Prinstein makes the following observation concerning those on society’s margins: “The results revealed that being unpopular – isolated, disconnected, lonely – actually predicts mortality rates. But perhaps even more surprising is just how powerful these effects can be. People in the study who had larger networks of friends had a 50 percent increased chance of survival by the end of the study. It didn’t matter whether the participants were male or female, whether they had health problems to begin with, or where in the world they lived. Being disconnected from the herd substantially increase the risk of death” (102).
Further, “Recent evidence suggests that those who are socially disconnected are at risk for a wide range of physical health problems that can cause death. In 2016, Kathleen Mullan Harris, a sociologist at UNC at Chapel Hill, examined how social connections might predict coronary artery disease, hypertension, cancer, and stroke … What Harris found was that having friends or a romantic partner, socializing with neighbors, and volunteering substantially decreased the risk of physical illness … It is impossible to ascertain whether it was unpopularity that caused these health problems per se, but the results are among the most powerful to suggest that even after accounting for so many other possible explanations, social isolation seemed to be the most powerful prognosticator of illness years later” (ibid 104).
The point he is making is that feelings of rejection and resultant isolationism trigger certain physical responses that compromise the immune system, lead to riskier behavior and disincline one toward personal attention and self-care. The result: longevity is compromised.
But when we turn to Scripture, we read things like:
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” – Rom 12:10.
“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble” – Rom 12:16.
“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” – Rom 15:1-2.
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” – Ph 2:3-4.
“If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness … bear one another’s burdens” – Gal 6:1-2.
God does not intend for us to live our lives and fight our battles alone. He desires for His people to associate in local churches, to love, encourage, support, strengthen and even correct each other. This provides a sense of belonging and acceptance which contributes not just to spiritual well-being but emotional and physical health as well. We should never treat others as “second-class citizens,” as the Corinthians did the poor regarding the Lord’s supper (1 Cor 11:21-22), or as Peter and Barnabas did the Gentiles in Antioch when Jews came for a visit. God’s laws are intended for our total welfare, even when it is not obvious on the surface.
