I launched into an explanation of the second law of thermodynamics: “over time, differences in temperature, pressure, and chemical potential equilibrate in an isolated physical system.” Right. He’s 9, so I paraphrased it. Ha! I need it paraphrased. Anyway, I said that warm things (like chicken mcnuggets) lose their heat until they reach the outside temperature and cold things lose their cold until they too reach room temperature. So, food needs to be heated and drinks need to be cooled.
Often this second law is presented as the law of decay, as in ‘this is why everything tends to fall apart.’ While this is true, I think this is essentially a matter of energy – without an outside supply, everything loses energy. This loss of energy is really a transfer of energy as everything has a tendency to balance.
Later on that night I thought more about this. Does the 2nd law of thermodynamics apply to the spiritual life? Does hanging out with lethargic, apathetic, skeptical people affect you? Will hanging out with joyful, excited, active, believing people have an impact on you? I believe the answer is self evident. If you hang out with apathetic or skeptical people there is a tendency to become like them. If you are already skeptical, you most likely will not rise above them. If you hang out with excited, believing people there is a tendency to be lifted above your complacency. On the other hand, since we are people and not chicken nuggets, such people may repulse us. We may decide we don’t like the people we are around and choose another environment. Free will sure messes with the 2nd law!
Personally, is there a tendency for me to lose energy? Is this also not self evident? We are prone to think that one spiritual encounter is good for the rest of our lives. But do we not need fresh infusions of love, joy, faith, the Holy Spirit? Left to ourselves we run down, run out. This physical law seems to apply to the spiritual realm as well.
Jesus said, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Here, cold and hot are both good things, and both require an outside source of energy to maintain. Without that energy we become lukewarm, the same temperature as everyone around us. And lukewarm doesn’t seem to impress Jesus. The good news is, God has not left us to ourselves, he warms up our chicken nuggets and cools down our Wild Cherry Pepsi!
The question then is, How does God do this? What are His means of grace to supply new infusions of energy? I know what they are and I need to avail myself of them lest I become lukewarm and spewable.
So true! Very good words for us to remember.
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