Conquering Fear

The guys at "Art of Manliness" are posting 30 Days to a Better Man for the month of June.

Today, day 29, the focus is on overcoming fear. This is an important property in the character of men in general, and Christian men specifically.

I, for one, am afraid of snakes. Always have been. I can even just barely look at them on TV, much less in real life. Nonetheless, I used to kill them with a shovel when I was a kid - chop off their heads, and watch their bodies spaz out. But that never killed the fear I had of them.

The "fear (Gk. phobos) of the Lord" that we read about throughout the Scriptures (Dt 6:13; Joshua 24:14; Ps 2:11, 19:9, 34:9,11; Prov 1:7; Ecc 12:13; etc.) is a response to a manifestation of God's presence that involves both reverent awe and a healthy fear of God's displeasure and discipline.

To have no fear of God (Romans 3:18; Ps. 36:1) is to assume that God will not discipline sin in this life or judge it in the next.

Paul tells the church in Philippi to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." He was telling them to demonstrate their faith by nurturing their relationship with God daily, progressively coming to experience all of the aspects and blessings of salvation. Doing this with "fear and trembling" meant doing it soberly.

Also, Peter instructs the dispersed Christians in Asia-Minor, "...if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear..." This fear is, again, not a paralyzing fear like I have of snakes, but a fear of God's discipline and fatherly displeasure; a reverence and awe of God. (1 Peter 1:17)

But the Bible also says that "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). The fear mentioned here isn't contradictory to the reverential fear in the above verses. It is a fear of final judgment, wrath, and eternal punishment, which for Christians has been cast out by God's perfect love.

Now as an earthly father, I know personally what it takes to get my kids to obey. I don't do the whole "1....2....3..." bit. I think that trains them to think I didn't mean what I said when I said it. I want them to respond immediately to my voice and instruction. I want them to have fear in their hearts for me. The quick and just discipline I give them, along with the extravagant and unconditional love I lavish on them, I trust will have the long term effect of developing in them a healthy fear of their Heavenly Father.

If there was one thing my Dad was in his leadership in my family growing up, it was this - he was clear. It was his way "or the highway" I often heard. I feared him with a Biblical fear. He meant what he said and always carried through; no empty threats. But he was also a "cuddle-bug." That's not a very manly thing to talk about, much less do. But that was my Dad. Countless times in my childhood he would lie down in bed with me just to tell stories with his crackling, baritone, whispering voice.

I feared him, and I fled to him.

I respected him, and I wrestled with him.

He disciplined me, and took great delight in me.

I feared him, but I wasn't afraid of him.

And through him I learned the art of loving my Heavenly Father.