Loss Aversion

I love watching educational channels. I subscribed to this channel called Veritasium, where the maker of the channel constantly challenges my intellect and reasons. Recently, Veritasium's video has challenged me to think about my faith.

This video did an experiment on the social phenomena called "Loss Aversion". A bet was proposed to subjects where the odds are favourable to them as much as twice the reward for a 50% chance of losing. It's interesting to note that many people would pass up the bet. People generally value loss at about 1.5 to 2.5 times than of gain. Interesting.

While I presume all human beings are logical, we are not. People are also influenced by their emotion, much like the lady who refused to take the bet at all cost for her feeling that her $10 is worth far more than the $20 offered.

~~~

I guess that's how we treat our spiritual life (or life as a whole) as well.

Most of the time when people do not believe in the saving grace of Jesus, it is because we are unwilling to give up our former way of life. We feel that there is so much to lose for a gain the eyes cannot behold.

Repentance is hard because it means to give up fleshly pleasure that we are "enjoying". I struggle with this all the time, even now as I write. Pornography and lust are always the snare set up for me. And every time I fall into it, it takes forever to get back up. It's so hard to give up the temporal satisfaction and pleasure.

But what the Lord has in store for me is far greater. The odds are never against me, but all things in my favour. His reward is the crown, glory, rest and eternity. In His Kingdom is peace, freedom, salvation, security and eternal joy. In His embrace is life, comfort, satisfaction and justice. Yet, so some reason I value my filthy rag far greater than His royal robe. It's foolish really.

A lot of people think that following Jesus is to give up our way of life, risking everything for something we do not know and do not see. But honestly, indulging in my own sins is no way for me to live. My flesh lives but my spirit is rotting. The stench of my own sins is unbearable and I breath death.

Christ, offered me life. This is a bet, I will never lose. I'll take it.

Now, give up!

God's Character, My Encounter.