It causes small children to refuse to stay with babysitters, sleep in their own beds, or turn out the lights.
It keeps pets from ripping up couch cushions, causing ruckuses, and relieving themselves on the carpets.
It holds students to paper deadlines, causes them to stay up all hours of the night to finish studying for a test or to complete a project, and forces them to cram their brains with (sometimes useless) piles of information about which they would normally not give a fig.
It binds people to occupations where they are unhappy, ties them to places they hate, and encourages them to keep their mouths shut and their heads down.
It exalts the status quo, warns against differences, and paints a dreary picture of the future. It jeopardizes relationships, flings uncertainty into sound minds, and sends even the most secure individual into a tailspin. It denies that love exists, and refuses to believe anything that cannot be seen.
Fear.
It is one of the strongest powers in the universe. It manipulates our decisions, dictates our daily lives, and controls our relationships.
And we allow it.
BUT . . .
"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Our God, Who loves us with a perfect, sacrificial love, offers us the chance to live fearlessly.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear . . ."
Fear has been vanquished by Perfect Love. Fear is dead; Jesus is alive!
Which master will we choose to serve-- the Living, or the dead?
