Life of the Mind

Do you work out several times a week? Why?
To stay in shape physically? Many even hire a personal trainer to drive the workouts.

What about your mind? Do you work out mentally? Do you employ a personal trainer for your mind? Why not?

Brain Training is a national phenomenon that’s taken Japan by storm. Some do brain exercises every morning—sitting quietly with pencil and paper doing puzzles and brain teasers—just as Americans do daily calisthenics. Researchers say such brain exercises improve memory, mental function, and dementia.
(See Brain training takes aging Japan by storm)

The term for brain exercise is neurobics. MindSpa provides professional trainers to help clients exercise their brains. MindSpa uses speed training, endurance training, cross training, and task-specific training to build better brains.

Jesus commanded,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment.” (Matthew 22:37,38)

In our day of “feel-good” Christianity, many of us narrow our focus to the heart alone. Do we neglect loving God with the mind?

Is a stair-climber fun? No, but you do it anyway because it’s good for you.
If you can remember to do your daily brain exercises, your memory will improve.
Is reading a theological tome fun? For most people, probably not. But over time the benefits are enormous.

Research studies show that vigorous mental activity delays or prevents the onset of Alzheimer’s. Leisure activities restricted to TV may even increase the Alzheimer’s risk. If you have hobbies that exercise your brain, you are only 40% as likely to get Alzheimer’s as those who don’t, according to a study by Case Western Reserve University neurology professor Robert Friedland.
(See Mental exercise, low-fat diet and vitamins can delay Alzheimer's and
Hobbies can help slow Alzheimer's.
The “2.5 times less likely” reported in the second article computes to “40% as likely.”)

Activities like reading, crossword puzzles, checkers, chess, logic puzzles, and card games like bridge, hearts, or euchre all exercise the mind and decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s. Theological study certainly falls in this category. “Intellectual activity strengthens the brain against disease," said Case Western Reserve's neurologist Dr. Friedland.

Delay or prevention of Alzheimer’s is only a temporal benefit. The benefits of theological study…
are eternal.

You don’t have to go to seminary to study and understand the Bible and theology. Supplement your Bible study with today’s readily available resources—conferences, books, mp3 files, and videos. All of these can be found on the web. Start at whatever level would provide a challenge for your thinking.

Physical workouts are part of glorifying God with your body by keeping in good condition the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19-20) with which He has blessed you. Do the same thing for your mind. Don’t let it wither away through neglect and disuse. Don’t let it turn into a pumpkin! Keep it active and robust through regular Biblical and theological study.

See the Table of Contents for the Bible-Science Guy blog.

©William T. Pelletier
BibleScienceGuy@WoodsideNews.org
Thursday January 17, 2008 A.D.

Read January’s Bible-Science column
Stem Cells
in The Woodside News.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

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