Neuron Mirroring

You may be wondering about the title.  What is that all about? 

It is very relevant to what I mentioned the other day about letting worms invade our homes.

My husband, Chris, and I find it challenging to find anything decent for us to watch on television.  So, when we do watch TV, it is usually HGTV.  However, we found a reality show recently that seemed OK for us to watch.   It was a fun show with no indecency.  However, a few weeks into the show, I started to notice something.....the couples on the show were constantly fighting.

I found myself getting agitated during the show.  I would find myself getting irritated at my husband also.  Which caused me to wonder...What is that all about?  A couple of weeks ago, I decided I wouldn't watch the show anymore.  The fun was gone, I wasn't enjoying watching couples argue and bicker. 

The next week, I attended a continuing education seminar for my profession.  In that seminar, they mentioned "Neuron Mirroring" and it suddenly became clear.  These particular neurons fire whether we are actually doing a task or if we are just watching someone else do it.  This means that we will experience the same emotions as if we are doing what we are only watching. It really is fascinating.  Well... it is to me, anyway. : )

Neuron mirroring explains why yawns are contagious, why people get so excited at football games, why we make funny movements with our mouths when we feed a baby, and why we get agitated after just watching other couples bicker.

The eyes and the heart are interwoven beyond our understanding.  We may unknowingly be letting "worms" sneak into our homes by what we are watching, even when it seems harmless.  I mentioned the other day some "worms" I don't want in my house including strife, unforgiveness, offense, selfishness, and rebellion.  The show I referred to earlier was sowing discord and strife in me by causing my neurons to fire in response to arguing even though I wasn't the one arguing!  My emotions were "mirroring" what I was observing! 

In the Bible, we can find an interesting example of this in Genesis 30.  There is a story about how Jacob put speckled rods in front of the eyes of the sheep and they conceived sheep that were speckled even when it went against genetics.  We become what we observe and associate ourselves with.

Like I said, the eyes and the heart cannot be disentangled.  They are connected at the deepest levels.

My son, give attention to my words; 
Incline your ear to my sayings.  
Do not let them depart from your eyes; 
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them, 
And health to all their flesh, 
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it flows the issues of life.  Proverbs 4:20-23

If keeping God's word in front of our eyes brings life, then wouldn't be putting images in front of our eyes that  conflict with God's Word bring forth death or destruction?  Death doesn't have to mean a physical death.  It can be a slow death of a marriage or a death of joy or peace, etc. 

Just as Jacob's sheep bred sheep that reflected what was put before them, does constantly watching sin breed sin?  Hmmm.  Something to consider?  If you are convicted when watching something, don't ignore the warning.  God may be drawing your attention to a "worm" that is trying to sneak into your home.