Do Not Be Afraid

You may remember that in the Christmas story, an angel appears to a group of shepherds tending their flocks. And Luke tells us that the glory of the Lord shown around them. And they were terrified. 

How often do we find ourselves afraid? Afraid of the unknown… what will the diagnosis be? What will happen to this relationship? Will I still have a job? Will my loved one be alright? There are other fears too… fear of terrorism, fear of crime, fear of the stranger.

One of the things that strikes me is that for each and every traveler who ends up in Bethlehem, one of the first obstacles they have to overcome is fear. Fear of Herod. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what the journey might entail. Fear of the demands this event might place on their lives.

Do you know what the most frequent command is in the Bible? You would think it would be Love God or Love your neighbor. According to Jesus, those are the greatest commandments, but, they are not the most frequent. The most frequent command is, “Fear not!” Far more than any other command, over and over we read the words, “Fear not.”  Fear not.

Why do you suppose that is? 

Maybe it is because when we are afraid we do stupid things… Maybe because our fear can divide us from other people… Maybe it is because fear can paralyze us from taking the next leap of faith or doing the right thing… Maybe it is because fear keeps us from seeing the beauty of the glory of the Lord all around us…

Maybe it is all of the above.

To the shepherds, the angels sang, “Do not be afraid.” To the women at the empty tomb, the angel said, “Do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid, not because there is nothing fearsome. Do not be afraid… because fearsome things do not get to have the last word.

When the shepherds arrive in Bethlehem, there is good news and great joy. When the shepherds arrive in Bethlehem, there is the Christ child. There is meaning and hope and the promise of goodwill to all. But in order to get there, they have to overcome their fear. And so do we.

Let us pray: Help us, Gracious God, not make decisions based on fear. Instead, may we heed the command of the angel, and “fear not,” so that with courage and trust, we too might travel to Bethlehem with open hearts and open arms. Amen.