Of fear and pancake batter

It was Franklin D. Roosevelt who first coined the phrase "All we have to fear is fear itself." It was part of his presidential inauguration speech. America drawn to his every word as it searched for hope amidst the struggles of the great depression. Fear is one of those things that is common to humanity. We all share in it to some extent or another. We fear many things, some more justified then others. We fear spiders, snakes and public speaking. We fear the dark, we fear the unknown, and we fear what we can’t control.

Quito

Dogs have fears too. Many dogs fear thunder or other loud noises, but even dogs have irrational fears. My dog fears - of all things to fear - the smell of pancake batter. The smell causes him to quiver with fear, cowering at my side for hours. The only way to console his dread is to hold him put him out of the house far from the smell of the notorious and ferocious pancake batter. (Who knows what goes on inside of that wall-nut size brain of his?) 

We live in a day and age of fear. ISIS desperately tries to instill a culture of fear in our world. Governments and politicians have pounced on that fear to further own agendas. Fears fodder mistrust, anxiety and even hate. Fear causes people to retreat to what is known; to circle the proverbial waggons and keep out all that is different and unknown.

When thinking about the absurdity of my dog's fear of pancake batter I begin to wonder what God thinks about our fears. Are they as ridiculous to him as Quito’s fears are to me? Why are so many people so afraid of a tiny spider that is virtually defenseless against a human? Why is a familiar path so frightening at night when it is perfectly safe during the day? Why do fear the unknown or what is different? Why do billions fear thousands. Does God not promise to be with us – always - even to the end! Trust is the opposite of fear and fear is the opposite of trust. 1 John 4:18 says “There is no fear in love, perfect love drives out fear.” Hate causes fear, love dispels it.

The instinctive reaction to fear is flight or fight; retreat or revenge or on the world stage, isolation or aggression. Further escalating hate, suspicion and fear. The best we can do is not give into the fear, to answer fear with love. A perfect response to the fear in our world is opening our borders to refugees, not only into our countries, but into our lives. In many ways F.D.R.'s words are every bit as relevant today as they were back them. All we have to fear is fear itself, and if I could add, our reaction to it.

HJK