‘Be not afraid.’
Parker Palmer says ‘all great spiritual traditions originate in an effort to overcome the effects (of fear) on our lives. With different words, they all proclaim the same core message: “Be not afraid”.’1 Muller says, ‘the phrase “Be not afraid” is found the Christian New Testament more than three hundred times.’ 2
‘It is important to note with care what that core teaching does and does not say. “Be not afraid” does not say – we should not have fears. It says, we do not need to be our fears.’3
1 p57 Palmer2 p 22 Muller
3 p57 Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak San Francisco Jossey-Bass 2003
I’m not sure I get the difference, or maybe I just don’t get what it could mean to “be my fear”. Any hints?
I’m not sure what is meant by being our fears, but fear often stops us from living God’s way, whether it is the fear of rejection or of other’s disapproval, the fear of discomfort or the fear, real or imagined, of being harmed or killed. I think I have many fears that dictate how I live and how I fall short of living as a citizen of God’s Kingdom should live.
Any ideas on how we can overcome these fears?
Sometimes fear paralyse you – and you focus so much on the fear that you never actually manage to do.
I wonder if Christ actually meant that we weren’t to think about it too hard. If you are motivated by love you’ll break through the fear and do, whatever the cost or the potential trouble.
The other day I heard a Jewish man saying how he thought the teaching of Jesus was dangerous and damaging. For example, forgiving people who don’t deserve it is reckless. But maybe that is missing the point – you don’t forgive just because someone deserves it, otherwise nobody would ever forgive anyone. If you concentrate on the potential trouble caused by forgiving, maybe you never actually forgive.
my answer to ralph and karin:
your strength is honesty and (as joe says) your motivation is love.
You are not the sum of your fears. you are not just someone who has to survive. you are yourself, and you can do whatever you know is right. but you have to be ruthlessly honest with yourself about who you really are – if you live your life pretending to be someone you’re not, you’ll be afraid of anything that can expose you.
it’s too easy to be motivated by my own desires, and to act in support of my own illusion. when i am motivated by love, and act for truth, i have no fear.
either you be you, or you be afraid.