Bi—What?                                                   Jan. 29, 2005

"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are..." No one can deny this man had his highs and lows. He could go from the mountain top to the valley of despair in no time flat. One minute he's praying down fire from Heaven; the next he's praying to be taken to the funeral home!

If this man's man were with us today, I'm certain all the amateur, self-appointed psychologists among the saints would dub him "Bi-polar." That is, one with opposite extremes, a person who alternates between hopelessness and elation. To be sure, there are legitimate cases that need professional help, but not nearly as many among believers as some would have it.

Calling too much attention to a minor condition can make even the normal seem abnormal. Overemphasis can cause one to be overwrought. Some are quick to diagnose another's so-called ills, while shifting attention away form their own pitiful condition. "Physician heal thyself," is good advice for all of us.

History reveals scores of individuals who experienced exceptional highs and lows in life. Mozart, Shakespeare, St. John, Mark Twain, Poe, etc. Yet, in spite of this (or because of it) they somehow produced and left us with something. Let's face it; all of us are on a roller-coaster. It's just that some have higher highs and lower lows.