What’s The Fear?

What’s the fear?

That’s my opening question this week in my workshop at Harvest Farm. I hope they don’t turn the question back at me. I’d rather discuss their fears than reveal mine.

This week our small group looked at a passage from Philippians 1. Verse 27 says, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

One of the discussion questions asked if we were doing that—and how we knew. So looking a bit further, verse 28 says one piece of evidence is operating “without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.”

So we asked ourselves:

Are we living fearlessly, in a manner worthy of the gospel?

And of course we’re not, and we come back to the original question:

What’s the fear?

Let’s be honest—nobody’s going to bomb my house because I follow Jesus. I don’t have to hide my faith. But I don’t live fearlessly.

# # #

The day after our study I encountered a Facebook post from someone in another city whom I know fairly well. There were a few comments from folks in my social media circle of influence, and as I read I felt pretty strongly that the discussion missed the mark in an important way.

I carefully composed a response, edited my words, re-read them…and then pressed DELETE. Why? I was afraid.

Afraid I might not say it just right. Afraid I’d offend someone. Afraid of what they’d think. I allowed what I believed to be an untruth, albeit a minor one, to stand unchallenged—among friends—because I was afraid.

Certainly the fate of civilization won’t turn on a small Facebook discussion, but I suspect this is exactly the sort of issue Paul addressed. I think Jesus asks us to be faithful in the small stuff, to treat it like big stuff.

That Facebook interaction bothers me. It’s not about the issue; that’s inconsequential. But the questions demand answers.

Are we living fearlessly, in a manner worthy of the gospel?

What’s the fear?

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