July 11
Faith vs Fear
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. ––John 14:27
What were you afraid of when you were a kid? I had this odd bedtime ritual where I had to tuck the bed sheet up around my ears. That way, if a murderer broke into my room, my ears would be protected. My other fear—actually terror—was of Raggedy Ann dolls. I just imagined one coming to life and smothering me in my sleep. I was also super afraid of clowns (wasn’t everybody?). What was your worst fear as a kid?
Fear is a tricky emotion. Is it good? Is it bad? Well, both. If you are hiking and see a rattlesnake, fear is good—it allows you to back away and find another path. But if you wake up every day with fear that causes you extreme anxiety, then it’s not good.
Healthy fears keep us safe and out of trouble; they tell us to never turn our back on the ocean, or always cross the six-lane highway at the intersection rather than mid-block. Unhealthy fears come in many forms, and are often authored by the enemy—fear of man, for example. Jesus said this about our fears toward other people:
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ––Matthew 10:28
I like to think of fear in two ways:
Vertical fear – Reverence, respect, and awe toward our omnipotent Creator. Fear of God is a healthy fear that is in response to His power—He gives life and takes it away; He is the Alpha and the Omega.
Horizontal fear – Is based on what’s around us in this world—including people, places, and things. This type of fear can be defined as earthly fears; some are healthy (respect for the ocean), while others are unhealthy (fear of other’s opinions of you, or allowing your life to be driven by fear of what people might do to you).
Fear is a natural reaction, especially toward people who might try to intimidate, bully, or otherwise take advantage of you. No one loves confrontation (that’s a topic for another day). But, when we keep the Kingdom perspective—knowing that the only Person we need to fear is God—it helps us walk in boldness. We overcome horizontal fear by focusing on our vertical God.
Lord, help me give up any “fear of man” in me, and help me walk boldly in this world knowing that my identity is not defined by people, places, or things.