We can let our fear speak for us if we are not careful. It happens without notice. It isn’t as if we have chosen it. We don’t usually consider when we speak what is driving our words. We just speak. And sometimes when we speak, it is to the harm and detriment of others. This could be the case if our fears are speaking for us.
It is fall and many are thinking about pumpkins and Halloween. I am thinking about cooler weather, but that may be just me. When we think about October, fear is a part of the genre. Halloween is filled with masks and haunted houses. If we are honest, I am not sure that much could be more fearful than this year has been with masks and a frightening pandemic. Two things always come to mind when I think of Halloween – the video from Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the line, “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts” from Ghostbusters. This probably ages me some and I am sure says something about my personality. But my point is that this is a time when we are thinking about fear or the lack thereof. Yet, fear seems to rear its ugly head in so much of our everyday lives and we don’t even notice.
Fear happens when we can’t hear someone with a different view or belief. Fear happens when people bully (it is actually the bully that has the most fear ingrained deep inside). Fear is evident in the political world. It is a part of our decision making. It is a part of hatred or greed. We don’t realize it, though. It is hidden. It seem that the bully fears nothing. Yet, for that person to act like that and live to intimidate others, there is deep seated fear. For people to hate others, there is fear of someone or something different. When religious people spew hatred, it is usually because they are fearful something they believe will be challenged and they don’t know what to do with that. Fear is a part of so much of our lives, yet we rarely talk about it.
The Bible teaches us different. We are taught to live in love, not fear. We are taught real love casts out fear. We are taught that Jesus lived as he did out of love, not fear. We read how those who hated him were fearful because he challenged their beliefs. We hear the fear of those who wanted Jesus dead. There is fear in the Bible – but it wasn’t from Jesus. He lived rooted in love. How are you living? We should check our speech, posts, and thoughts – we may find a whole lot of fear and not much love, if we are willing to dig deep. May LOVE lead you today.
Focus Scripture:
1 John 4:18-19
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 