fear does not become us (Love Wins)

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

My first intention yesterday was to not write about the terror attack in Boston. “I didn’t design this blog to write about current events,” I said to myself; “I want my posts to be – consistently – about what it means to live a life-charged life.”

But then, almost immediately – and especially once I began to hear some of the rumors, the rhetoric, the fear, the ignorance, and the knee-jerk reactions – I realized that my consistent call to “Live like we mean it,” and to engage each day-to-day in a way that is charged with life-giving love, is exactly appropriate for such a horrific event.

THERE IS SIMPLY TOO MUCH GOOD… So this is a call to take a stand for light and love, and to stand with confidence, because – as followers of the Way of Jesus – fear does not become us. Besides, not only does love drive out fear, but light always overcomes darkness. Always. It is never a question.

The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5)

The overwhelming fact is that, in Boston yesterday, literally thousands of acts of ongoing light immediately defeated – and will continue to defeat – the solitary assault of darkness.

There is simply too much good in this nation for darkness to stand a chance. There is simply too much love in this country for fear to ever get a toehold.

There is simply too much good in this nation for darkness to stand a chance. There is simply too much love in this country for fear to ever get a toehold.

Did you witness the immediate response of so many good people dropping absolutely everything to help the victims? Do you have any doubt at all that funds will be set up to help cover medical costs? Or that those funds will be generously subscribed?

First Presbyterian Church, Brandon

DECLARE THE TRUTH! We may be a dangerously overstretched consumer society, with seriously confused values, but at our heart we are a people who are children of light, and who find our meaning in love and service.

And so my purpose with this morning’s post is to take a stand in favor of owning the source of our meaning; and to encourage all of us to acknowledge and to embrace the truth that the reason we are not fearful is because we know the power of love; and to tell those who feed on fear (and to tell them in no uncertain terms) that we are sick and tired of fear-mongering, because we are people of light and we are committed to the way of the Gospel of Love.

• Take a stand for love and light…
• Own the source of our meaning…
• Declare the power of love…
• Tell those who feed on fear we will not tolerate their fear-mongering…
• Live as people of light and commit ourselves to the way of the Gospel of Love.

Like I wrote in yesterday’s post about the Book of Revelation: “The word from Jesus is – always, ‘Fear not.’ ‘Do not be afraid.’”

- DEREK