By:Curtis Morton
The way I see it, whenever we are overcome by FEAR, it could be very detrimental to our well-being.
My good friend GOOGLE tells me that FEAR is ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.’
It was just Thursday, that I saw a very interesting spectacle. As I was driving across the road on an important errand, I saw one of my little neighbours, heading to her Primary school, being escorted by her older cousin, who attends the Gingerland Secondary school.
I tipped my horn to both of them, as is customary and they waved back, smiling.
On my return from my errand, I was shocked to see my little neighbour running at break neck speed and crying loudly.
I quickly pulled into reverse and caught her up and told her to jump in.
I immediately asked her what was wrong and she kept repeating: ‘The man! The man!’
When I looked, there was a worker at one of our historic sites who was approaching my vehicle, as unconcerned as anything, on his way to work.
At first, I was wondering what all of the fuss was really about, but on a second glance at the innocent offender, I realized a few things:
The guy is not the most handsome guy in the world and he had a cutlass in his right hand, partially concealed in a sack.
Well I newa!
His rugged outlook could have instilled fear into the little eight year old.
As I picked up her cousin, she immediately expressed her frustration at her younger cousin: ‘You see I pass the man and nothing happened? She asked.
My little friend just kept crying and did not respond.
By the time I dropped her off at her school, she was pretty much okay but I am here wondering what will happen on any given day next week when he is going to work and she is heading to school…and maybe I won’t be around to rescue her.
Now that’s a little girl but I know some big adults who have some weird fears.
I have a friend who recently admitted to me that if she is going anywhere and she sees a cow ahead, she would not pass it. She will have to catch a bus or something!
It reminds me of the words of a poem I read many moons ago:
“She’s an angel in truth, a demon in fiction
A woman’s the greatest of all contradiction
She’s afraid of a cockroach,
She’ll scream at a mouse
But she’ll tackle a husband as big as a house.”
I know some folks who are still afraid to pass a cemetery or a funeral home, especially at nights, if they are walking.
You remember I told you some time ago, that the late Phinehas Griffin had an experience which he shared with me:
He was at a funeral service and while at the cemetery, he pointed to a grave and asked the lady next to him, if that was where ‘so and so’ was buried.
She responded by urgently knocking his hand downwards and shouted: ‘You finger gonna drop off. Don’t point to the dead!”
Griffin with his usual sense of humour persisted in pointing and the woman kept screaming at him to stop, apparently not realizing that all of his fingers were still very much in place!
Well I newa!
Now, what does the bible say about dealing with FEAR?
I wish to leave you with these soothing quotations:
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
So there is an antidote for FEAR. A close relationship and trust in God will take care of all the situations that the evil one will create to cause us to be fearful.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?
END