Fear Not

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:8-10

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. –Proverbs 3:3

Fear not. Once again an angelic announcement is preempted with an assurance that there is no need to fear. The shepherds were called out of their fear and into belief. What would it feel like to live without fear? How would we change if we could be anxious about nothing? God has done everything imaginable to help us to understand that He’s got things well under control. Around 110 times in the Bible we can read “fear not”; “do not be afraid” or the equivalent in a way that is not for a single character in a story, but with the intent of giving the reassurance of His presence and kindness to all of God’s people.

Although we may not admit it, change is the biggest boogeyman for most people in the world today. In fact, major life stressors are measured by “life change units” on most psychological surveys and questionnaires. We fear changing employment, changing homes, changing health, changing status, changing administrations and the list goes on and on. Change will never abide and abet a safe equilibrium in our lives. It is the great disruptor.

But then again, so was Jesus. He came to change things, to rewrite what was on the tablet of mankind’s hearts. Somewhere along line, God’s people had placed wealth and power at a premium over the steadfast love and faithfulness that scripture called us to bind to our hearts and minds. This reversal of priorities came with an intrinsic sense of fear. Fear that it all could disappear or be taken away at any moment.

With his whole life Jesus taught us to trust him and to have steadfast love for our God and one another. If we’ll take care of those two things, there will be no need to fear. Steadfast love, not situational. The kind of love that changes things. The call is to love each other always and all the time. We are to recognize that if our faults made us unlovable then none of us would be loved. We are to love others even so. Even when they hurt us, even when it’s inconvenient, even when others don’t think or believe as we do. We are called into community with one another under the banner of steadfast love. We do not have to be alike to be in community, we must simply be God’s children. When we practice steadfast love and faithfulness, we need not fear, because we know that no matter what the change, God is with us and we are there for one another, covering one another’s weaknesses with the strength of love and community. This kind of love and community changes everything and that’s okay, because when we dedicate our lives to the kind of radical, steadfast love and faithfulness that Jesus called us to, there is no time or space for fear.

Prayer: Holy God help us to love you and one another with the kind of radical, steadfast love that casts out all fear. Amen