Devotional 4-27-18

Fear Factor

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment."
1 John 4:18 NIV

It seems all too often l find myself with a heavy heart and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I contemplate the latest news. I lament “man’s inhumanity to man” and ask God why. Recently, the answer came. Fear. Fear of people who look different than we do, who have different beliefs, different customs, a different lifestyle. Fear that something will be taken away from us, be it something as small as a possession or as big as 'our way of life.'

Isn't that what happened to Jesus? Jesus was upsetting the status quo. He was shaking things up. The leaders of the Jews in Israel were afraid of him, afraid of losing the power they had, afraid of losing their 'way of life', so Jesus had to go!

We all know what happened next. Love triumphed! Love always triumphs. Let us all reach out in love and banish fear from this earth!

Margaret Williams