Fear Not

Perhaps the most basic problem we have in our society today is that we live in fear. We fear for the future. We fear the other person, we fear growing old. We fear the government. We fear. Fear is a destructive feeling because it closes down the possibility for rational thinking and creative thinking. When we are afraid, we "hunker down.".  Most of the time what it actually needed is to face what ever it is head on. When we are fearful, it is far more difficult to see alternatives. We also freeze the situation so the only thing we see is one possible scenario. The fact is, rarely are we totally accurate in how we are viewing the situation. If we insist on seeing what we are afraid of in one way, there is only one possible outcome. If, instead, we realize that there are alternate possibilities, we are freed up to see multiple outcomes. 

How many times have we seen what we fear the most come about?  Often, because we allow for only one outcome. In our fear, we bring about the very outcome we fear the most.  Fear is a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

That is why the Bible spends so much effort saying, "Fear not."  Three hundred and sixty-five times, in fact. One for every day of the year. The Bible recognizes how debilitating fear really is, how it separates us from G-d and one another and how it distorts reality. Fear is the single biggest source for anger and sin. We cannot be the people G-d has created us to be if we live in fear, anger and anxiety. G-d created us to love and love is impossible  in the midst of fear. G-d created us to be in relationship with one another and society is impossible if everyone is afraid. That is why the world is in so much trouble. We are all living in fear and that keeps us from relating with one another in truth and trust. Without trust, civilization is impossible. Unless we turn back to one another and start relating in good faith, we will fall apart as a country. 

That is what is so destructive about the Tea Party: they are afraid of EVERYTHING  and EVERYONE that doesn't think, act or look like them. What they are afraid of, they attack.  What and who they attack, attacks back. They (and we) need to be reminded of the Biblical message: "Fear not."  Only when we follow this command can we become the People of  G-d.  Only when we stop living in fear can we become what G-d created us to be. Only when we "Fear not" can we be free to love.