I love unexpected questions. Mostly.
The guys in my seminar at Harvest Farm make me think. I love it, though there are times I wish I had a PA– USE button.
We were discussing fear. I said, “One of the Enemy’s most powerful lies is ‘You have to REACT to your fear.’”
Then we listed the common reactions to fear: Fight, Flee, Freeze.
So far, so good. The guys talked about their typical reactions to fear in different circumstances and how those hadn’t always led to positive results.
So eventually we get to alternatives. Jesus says we don’t have to live in fear. Because of His presence, we can choose to respond rather than react. We don’t have to obey our innate impulse to fight, flee, or freeze.
You could see the mental wheels turning. A hand appeared.
“So does that mean it’s wrong to walk away if I’m afraid?”
Where’s that PA– USE button?
Of course the answer’s NO, but I needed more than that. We discussed a bit and came up with some reasonably coherent ideas. Here’s a summary.
Fleeing is a visceral reaction to fear. No decision, no evaluation. You’re afraid, you flee.
Walking away is a choice. You assess the options, weigh the consequences, and decide to leave. Depending on circumstances, walking away may require a good deal of courage.
Good question, students develop a pretty good answer. Whew.
Then another question: “Is it ever okay to fight?”
Wow, was that room quiet. A couple of these men were ex-military, and a few spent time in prison because they got in fights. This one didn’t have an obvious right answer.
PA– USE button, please?
Here’s what I came up with.
What if we replace “fight” with “oppose”?
They wanted an explanation, so we talked about it.
The “fight” reaction to fear carries the connotation of lashing out with physical or emotional violence. There was general agreement that wasn’t a positive thing. I explained that I didn’t want us to get sidetracked in a debate about violence vs. nonviolence.
One guy asked, “But didn’t people like MLK and Ghandi fight against oppression?”
“Exactly, but they didn’t use violence. That’s why I suggest the word ‘oppose.’ We’re called to oppose injustice, which can happen in a variety of ways.
What’s important is that you think, choose and respond instead of just reacting.”
As we finished, one of the men asked how I thought these ideas up. I chuckled.
“I’d like to take credit. I heard most of it in a psychology class, but Jesus said it first.”
He looked at me quizzically.
Take courage. I AM. Don’t be afraid.
It’s okay to experience fear, but you don’t have to let it control you. You can choose to face your fear and make courageous choices because I AM with you.
No PA– USE button required.
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