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Stimulate Growth by Grace

Stimulate Growth by Grace

Last updated on: February 3, 2024 at 11:03 am by Paul Louis Metzger

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Stimulate Growth by Grace 2024-02-03T11:03:40-08:00 Paul Louis Metzger

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Deep Brain Stimulation Probes of the skull; 28 October 2013; http://radiopaedia.org/articles/deep-brain-stimulation; Author Dr. Craig Hacking, A. Prof Frank Gaillard; Creative Commons

One of the most important endeavors in life is to stimulate a meaningful response in someone for personal growth. But what happens if they are not interested, or do not demonstrate an ability to signal a meaningful response? This post reflects on this subject and highlights the importance of stimulation motivated by compassion and grace.

As an educator, I work hard to try and motivate student interest on a topic. Take, for example, the modern philosopher and ethicist, Immanuel Kant. Most of my students are not inclined to study Kant, but we ‘ought’ to account for him in courses involving philosophy and ethics. To use Kantian language, it is my “moral duty”!

Kant’s writing style is not inviting to most students. His thought processes and terminology are daunting to comprehend and master. Initially, and sometimes continuously, the look you see in their eyes when you say “Kant” conveys the non-verbal reply “can’t.” But I keep trying.

I have even stooped to show classes a short Monty Python comedy skit on German and Greek philosophers competing in a football match in the attempt to awaken curiosity in philosophy. I am not sure the students learn anything about Kant through it. For one, there is only a brief mention of his categorical imperative. But at least it helps them laugh a bit amid crying themselves to sleep while reading him!

I wish I had time when visiting Christopher to read Kant and other philosophers to him. Much of my time goes to doing range of motion exercises, while talking to him and advocating for him with staff. Of course, I also talk to my son, sing songs for him, play music on his tablet. The list goes on. Come to think of it, if I could find a recording of Eminem performing Kant’s three critiques to rap, Christopher and some of my students might find that far more meaningful than my perpetual rant.

It is not only teachers who seek to motivate others to take interest in a subject or product. Preachers, advertisers, salespeople, coaches, politicians, and therapists are all trying to stimulate a response. What happens when no response is forthcoming? Resort to Monty Python or Eminem?

We work hard to stimulate responses in Christopher since his traumatic brain injury three years ago. Medical personnel do, too. It can be hit or miss, which is quite discouraging at times. I have gotten so desperate on occasion that I have said to my son with a smile on my face that I would rejoice if he would haul off and punch me in the nose. Indeed, I would rejoice! And I bet you down deep inside he would really like to do it some days when I am singing to him. The nurse whom we call the “Second Mom” is delighted when he has given her the middle finger (no doubt to indicate there is only one way to heaven) in response to putting eye drops in his eyes. He hates those drops, but they love each other. They have quite the bond.

My wife and I have witnessed Christopher trying to respond to our prompts. He will move his fingers and limbs ever so slowly and faintly on most occasions. At other times, we look into his eyes and see only a blank stare. That is what minimal consciousness entails—you never know what you will get in response to prompts.

We are seeking ways to stimulate more responses in Christopher. Stimulation is everything, but we can only be there for an hour or two each day. We are thankful for the resources we have to hand that will make it possible to gain more therapies for Christopher. Please pray for wisdom on how to proceed as we advocate for increased stimulation.

All too often, we give up trying to stimulate someone if they do not respond to prompts. We might say “hello” to another person many times, but stop doing so, if they never reply. I might be tempted to stop teaching Kant based on initial reactions to him. However, I have a “moral duty” to keep at it! It is not about what students want me to do, but what I ought to do, if I am thinking in a Kantian vein.

Insurance providers often place limits on when patients can receive therapies. If someone does not respond, the therapies cease. Fortunately, several medical doctors support our effort to increase therapies. For example, our palliative care and medical ethicist advisor Dr. Potter maintains that instead of providing stimulation only in the event one shows responsiveness, one should provide stimulation in the hope of generating a response. It might not come quickly. But like Dr. Potter and the pain clinic doctor maintain, it might take a significant amount of time to cultivate a meaningful response. We won’t know unless we try.

All too often, insurance providers are like the rest of us. Stimulation is a rare commodity. If you exert and spend it, you will diminish it. The same holds for compassion. It is a scarce resource, so if you spend it, you will lose it. Fortunately, there is another outlook. Philosopher Michael Sandel (who likes Kant!) maintains that compassion is like a muscle. If you use it, it will grow.

I do not intend any disrespect to insurance providers. They are having to account for limited resources to apply to a daunting number of patients. That said, it becomes quite discouraging when therapies cease for Christopher due to a lack of sufficient responsiveness. The determination is made that society will get more bang for their buck if and when the money can go to patients who will respond more frequently to prompts.

I am thankful that God continues to try and stimulate me through compassion, even when I rarely respond as I ought. I don’t think God does it merely based on a moral duty, but because God really is passionate about loving me—and you, too! Just this morning, I read 1 John. 1 John 4:10 and 4:19 are inspiring verses that stimulated in me a response of deep affection and gratitude: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” and “We love because he first loved us.”

God keeps saying hello to us, keeps reaching out to us, keeps seeking to stimulate a response of love for God and others. God does not stop trying to stimulate us even after countless efforts. If that is the case with God, how can I be different, if I claim to love God? I need to love like God loves. I need to try and stimulate love like God does. May each of us keep seeking to stimulate growth in others no matter what. May we love because God first loved us and continues to love us.

We are thankful for countless people who have been such examples of God’s love to us. Even though Christopher is not further along in his recovery at this point, they still pray. They still encourage. They still give. They have provided so sacrificially for Christopher, his wife, and daughter, and it is making a difference. On account of God’s stimulating love on display through them, we have the emotional energy to keep fighting for Christopher and his family, to keep stimulating, in vibrant hope that he will respond increasingly. He simply needs more stimulation, and we have every intention of making that a reality. It is not simply based on a moral duty, but on God’s abundant, stimulating grace.

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About Paul Louis Metzger

Paul Louis Metzger, Ph.D., is Professor of Theology & Culture, Multnomah University & Seminary; Director of The Institute for Cultural Engagement: New Wine, New Wineskins; and Author and Editor of numerous works, including More Than Things: A Personalist Ethics for a Throwaway Culture (IVP Academic, 2023). You can read more about the author here.

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