My homepage, like millions of other people, is Yahoo.com. Maybe its not the most reliable source of news out there, but it works for me. I like to see a little bit of everything, even it is a cat screwing around with an ipad. Even though my homepage is Yahoo, I spend a majority of my time on another website: facebook.
Facebook is perhaps the greatest invention of the 21st century thus far, because it completely redefined communication. The internet became a place where information was king, to a place where people could spend their social lives, without leaving their house. Now, I don't have to call my friend, or meet them for lunch to see how they are. I can go on facebook, check on their status update, and maybe even chat them up. It's genius.
But what does that mean?
It means, for many people, they can say things they wouldn't say in real life. People can hide behind facebook. Shy, nervous people, can talk like anyone, because they don't have to look someone in the eye. It also works, unfortunately, that sexual predators can come off looking like pretty nice guys. Regardless, it begs the question, why are we hiding? Why can't we talk to people in person anymore? I understand friends who live across the globe, but close to home? It is an interesting question...
We all tend to be paranoid once in a while. Its part of being an American these days. Turn on the news, and what do you see? Everything that says the end is near. Our imaginations, fueled by TV and movies tend to get the better of us, myself included. In the 'modern era' a majority of the population is on Xanax. Shouldn't that tell us something is wrong?
Fear is a natural part of the human experience, the Israelites and being prime examples. The Israelites are a people we can sympathize with. They go out into the desert with Moses (see Exodus), and they spend the whole time complaining, just like we inevitably would. They're also afraid though, afraid of the land they are invading that God has given to them(see Joshua). Why are they afraid of the enemy if God is right there with them, and has promised them the land?
We should ask ourselves the same question the the 21st century. God is just as alive and well as he was then, and is just as active in our lives, planning things out for us, showing the way, using the bad for the good. Yet we still run away. We have God though, and sometimes, we just need to know that. He is our protector; he loves us more than anyone ever will, and that in of itself should comfort us.
There is another type of fear though, that is brought up a lot in the Old Testament. It says we should 'fear' God, that they 'feared God'. What does that even mean? Well, when a giant, rabid German Shepherd is standing between us, a door, and a wall, what would we do? We could try to just run past the dog, but the diseased critter would probably kill us. We could just stay there, but the dog is closing in. The logical move? We slowly walk past the dog, giving it space, and make a getaway for the house. We respect its space, we recognize that it is more powerful, and because of that, we live a better-rabies-free life.
Not that being a Christian will give you rabies, or you'll be struck by lightening if you so something wrong. God is more loving than that, and we should 'fear him' because he is all powerful...but so is his love, grace, and mercy.
So, in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, Don't Panic! God is with us, and with Him, our fears vanish...
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