A Cuppa Joe – Random Ramblings from a Fellow Struggler

Every Friday we’ll take a break from topical posts and will post some random personal thoughts. 

Lessons from Fruit Flies

I’ve often thought that when we’re denied one form of sensual pleasure, we are likely to turn to another, and while that’s hardly an astute observation, it’s pretty darned relevant to the sort of work I do. The idea’s pretty simple: The brain craves some sort of reward, a reward often given through illegitimate means like porn, intoxication, etc. It doesn’t have to be that way, of course – there are plenty of other ways to satisfy that craving in a healthy way – but often the path chosen is the one far outside God’s will.

When that path is rejected, the rejecter may not realize he or she will be susceptible to other means of satisfying the urge.

I found this out back in 1984 when I rejected, by God’s grace, a variety of sexual sins. Immediately, cold turkey. And my system went nuts, wondering what brought on the famine and how to find something, anything, to fill the void that was now left. I was already working out pretty regularly, but without realizing why, I started running more laps, adding a few each week, until I was up to six miles a day and craving more and more. Clearly, the endorphin rush from the long jogs was compensating for the rushes I lost when I repented.

Well, a new study bears this out, thanks to a number of experiments on fruit flies. Researchers placed male fruit flies inside vials with female fruit flies who’d just mated, and were thus not in the mood. The frustrated males, after a series of rejections, were then placed in vials containing regular food, and food laced with alcohol. Predictably, the guys who’d just been turned down hit the booze. Compared with other flies who’d been more successful with the ladies, the percentage of fruit flies going on a binge after a rejection was far higher than that of their more satisfied peers.

Paul said “To avoid fornication let every man have his own wife.” Pretty basic stuff, and as always, the Word is profound and down to earth at the same time. When we satisfy legitimate need in legitimate ways, everyone wins. And when we as single women and men are called to abstain, our challenge is to find healthy outlets for normal drives, be it a longer jog, a Zumba session or a good movie. It’s such a simple but so often overlooked principle: we are relational creatures, subject to a variety of desires and drives, but capable of finding ways to satisfy them legitimately if we’ll only be willing to plan, prepare, pray. It works.

So say the flies, who we can learn from this weekend. Remembering the old sci-fi flick The Fly I can still hear the poor little winged creature about to be eaten by a spider saying Help Me! and I realize they too, bless them, can have it rough. Having read this study I realize we share more experiences then I realized. Maybe I’ll have more sympathy before swatting next time.

Or not. He’s probably just some drunk on a binge after a turn down.

Hope your weekend is better than that. Thanks for being here.

Love,

Joe