I Am Not Afraid

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear,

though the earth give way and

the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

 —Psalm 36:1–2

I have basically stopped watching the nightly news. I try, but the violence, the disrespect, the disregard for human life, and the foul language sours my stomach. It’s too hard to find rest in my warm bed after seeing the cruelties of the world played out in living color. Perhaps this is why God never sleeps.

I am grateful that I don’t live in Ukraine or Israel, fearful of where the next bomb will drop. I am grateful that I don’t live in China or North Korea, fearful that my opinions would land me in jail. I am grateful that I don’t live in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, fearful of Islamic extremists. I am grateful that I don’t live in Russia or Eritrea, fearful of arrest and torture. I am grateful I don’t live in Yemen or Haiti, fearful of famine and gang violence.

While I am grateful that I live in America, that doesn’t mean I am not fearful. I long to say, “I am not afraid,” but the truth is, I fear many things, like tornados, landslides, wildfires, and floods. I fear racists, extremists, narcissists, and manipulators. I fear global warming. I fear war with China or Venezuela. I fear the collapse of our democracy as it was designed. I fear the repercussions of ICE and police brutality. But most of all, I fear for the people who don’t yet recognize Jesus as their savior and the part I may have played in that.

 The risen Jesus told his disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). That directive was for us too. We are to share the good news of Christ so “they (too) can know the truth, and the truth will set them free” (John 8:32).  

For many years I never talked about my faith. Not only was it personal, I felt my beliefs weren’t solid enough to share. Therefore, I kept them to myself, too afraid to expose my spiritual vulnerabilities. I worried about what people would think of me if I started to “get religious” with them. That, however, should have been the least of my worries. Listen to what Jesus said in Luke 12:4–5. “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

If I profess to care about others, the kindest thing I can do is tell them about Christ. One day, we will all stand before the judgment seat to give account for our words and actions. If that doesn’t scare you, it should.

In the 1980s, the band R.E.M sang, “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.” This is exactly what Jesus doesn’t want us to do—to feel fine as the world crashes around us. Our hearts should break over the things that break his heart. When we turn away from the pain of others and choose not to share the redemptive love of Christ, we are in essence condoning apathy and participating in their eternal damnation.

As Hitler swept across eastern Europe, annihilating Jews, blacks, homosexuals, people with disabilities, and political resistors, many Germans turned a blind eye to the genocide. Those who did stand up in opposition to the Nazi regime faced certain death, but the eternal cost was higher for those who chose to do nothing.  

Now, I’m not saying that everyone needs to get out there and fight against the injustices of the world (unless God is calling you to that). What I am saying is that there are injustices, and it is our responsibility to share Christ with others so that people can endure them. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:3–5).

It may be the end of the world as we know it, but God is still the same, and our purpose hasn’t changed: Follow Christ, and make Him known.

SHARING AN APPROPRIATE SONG: It’s the End of the World as We Know It by R.E.M.

Favorite lyric: “Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed.”