Fear-less-ness in Christ

First John 4:16-21 (Look it up in your own Bible!)

Fear-less-ness in Christ

A few of the phrases that have bounced around in the news and at the water-cooler lately are: “Panic,” “Selling Frenzy,” “Irrational”. This has to do mainly with the financial troubles that have so quickly developed in our country. Institutions that you would think are as reliable as sunshine suddenly disappear. Households are used to the idea of living “hand-to-mouth,” but corporations? Who would have thought? Add to that the uncertainty of what the next administration will introduce, throw in a natural disaster or two, and there is the tendency toward panic. Humans will reveal where their trust lies when their situation in life changes.

Is there a way to think about these realities as Christians, so that our faith helps us? I think so, but hey, I’m a pastor. Of course I would think so. But most of you are baptized members of the body of Christ, so you probably agree that your faith has something to say.

One of my favorite parts of the New Testament says “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” I tend to think of this little verse many times. Fear has a way of lengthening hesitation, shortening breaths, and hastening anxiety. As I watch my little retirement account get little (much littler!) all of these things start to happen. But what about my faith? Where does it fit into the big picture?

In Christ, as a Christian, the world's final things have less finality. In fact there’s a degree of acceptance or even thanks when finality really comes home, whether it’s in our favor or not. In our faith, we hear about another finality that happens in Christ, and then surprisingly a new beginning in his resurrection, which is free from the bonds that drive us to be fearful. In the resurrected Christ, there is no fear because all the threats have been left behind. Even death.

So I think the perspective that my faith provides helps me to listen and approach these problems with a more level head, not because I’m smarter, but because (to use an investing term) my eggs are in a different basket.