Fear is a powerful agent of chaos and destruction. Our world is saturated by fear and many have fallen prisoner in its satanic claws. There are innumerable types of fears or phobias, as the scientists call it. People are afraid of failure; afraid of animals; afraid of terrorists; afraid of the future; afraid of sickness and death; afraid of dentists and in the case of teachers, afraid of students.
Our schools have become the latest target of attacks. Teachers must not only struggle to teach unruly and rebellious children, but now there is the ever-increasing possibility of gunmen coming into our campuses to create havoc and destroy precious lives.
I cannot begin to tell you how disgusted and disappointed I am with the whole situation. My main goal now as a teacher is not to instruct my students or teach them manners, but to show them how to create barricades or how to run for their lives in the event of an attack.
This is no way to live! I refuse to live in fear! 2 Timothy 1:7 informs us that,
“…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Furthermore, God has commanded us to not be afraid many times in the Bible. Joshua 1:9, for example, reads:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Yes, fear is powerful, but our God is All-Powerful. Millions live in fear today because they do not fear (revere, honor, respect, love and obey) the Lord. The converse is also true: If you fear God, then there is nothing to fear—not even death.
Jesus said,
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
It is time for us to be cautious and prepared, but there is never any acceptable time or season for us to be afraid. When I say “afraid” I am not referring to normal fears that lead us to do that which is right (e.g. rescuing someone that is drowning; grooming ourselves before leaving home so not to scare others; refraining from jumping from tall buildings, etc.). There is another fear; a fear that paralyzes and defeats. This fear is nothing but hopelessness and lack of faith.
Fear can only be overcome by faith, but not faith in our schools, social institutions or political leaders. Faith in Jesus is the only power that destroys fear and overcomes the world (1 John 5:4, 5).
There is fear and faith. What choose ye?
Alexander Gonzalez
