You are in a room that has three switches and a closed door. The switches control three light bulbs on the other side of the door. Once you open the door, you may never touch the switches again. How can you definitively tell which switch is connected to each of the light bulbs?1
Take a few minutes and think about this brain teaser. While you’re doing that, today is National Train The Brain Day. Keeping ourselves mentally active makes the brain healthy by supporting the growth of nerve cells and prompting the nerve cells to communicate with each other.2 It may even delay the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Because aging affects so much of the body, the temptation is to get less active and to withdraw from others. Once retirement comes to an individual, the source of communication to the “outside world” can diminish, plunging the individual into a world of self-induced solitude and loneliness. Both body and brain begin to shrivel and the outcome of this is devastating.
What are some ways to keep the brain active, especially as you age?
Read! Study a topic that will engage the brain and learn about things that have stirred your curiosity through the years.
Go back to school. Adult education classes are offered at Four County Career Center and Northwest State Community College. Many are available online. Perhaps the argument you make is that you aren’t looking for a career at your advanced age. What does that have to do with learning something? Remember, the point is not to start your next career. It’s to keep your brain from turning to mush!
Take music lessons. You say, “I’ve always wanted to play the oboe!” Rent an oboe from Retting Music, find a teacher, and learn to play. You’ll probably never be a virtuoso but who cares?!? What you learn will be enjoyable and I would love to put your name in the bulletin for an oboe solo.
Go to the senior center. What a great program that you are already paying for through your tax dollars! Get a hot meal, talk with people from your generation, play games together, and saturate yourself in activity. Could this be a hotspot for doing some evangelism?
Get busy at church. Naturally, I would put this one at the top of the list. A church is made up of people – people who could use visits, encouragement through cards and letters, and other projects that might be available. There are great opportunities to serve the Lord.
Maybe you say, “I walk every day. I go to the gym. Isn’t that good enough?” That’s great for the body but why would you want a weak brain in a fit body? Time to do some mental calisthenics!
By the way, the answer to the brain teaser in the first paragraph is this: Turn on the first two switches. Leave them on for five minutes. Once five minutes have passed, turn off the second switch, leaving one switch on. Now go through the door. The light that is still on is connected to the first switch. Whichever of the other two is warm to the touch is connected to the second switch. The bulb that is cold is connected to the switch that was never turned on. (Credit: Reader’s Digest)
Ingenious!! Now, let’s spiritually train the brain. Proverbs 23:6-7 says, “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: (7) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” If this is true (and it is because it’s the Word of God), it would seem that how we think is very important.
Proverbs 24:9 tells us that “The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.” Therefore, we need to espouse the Psalmist’s decision found in Psalms 119:113. “I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.” To do this, 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” A rigorous regime of excising our thought life is a great way to train the brain. But, these verses all come from one side of the situation. Let’s conclude today by giving our brain some positive exercises.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
1https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-train-your-brain-day-october-13
2https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/preventing-dementia-brain-exercises
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