We have fears about harm that could happen to us and harm that could happen to our loved ones. These fears cause us to do all kinds of things to protect ourselves and our property—including buying expensive security systems and fortifying ourselves with weapons.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27
Let’s talk about fear for just a bit. Fear is a true emotion that we all feel at one time or another. Indeed, fear can tie us up and lead to despair. We have probably all felt the pounding of our hearts at something very scary. As a child, I was terrified to go into our basement at nighttime because my brothers took great delight in terrifying me by jumping out around the corner. When I was in my 20’s, I was physically accosted in my driveway, although I was not physically harmed, I carried an emotional wound which caused me to fear going out my front door for months.
We all have fears about adequacy. Will we be hired for a job? Will we know enough to be successful in our work? Will we be loved? Are we really Quakerly enough? If Diane expects me to talk to the candidates running for Congress, will I know enough to ask a good question?
We have fears about harm that could happen to us and harm that could happen to our loved ones.
We have fears about harm that could happen to us and harm that could happen to our loved ones. These fears cause us to do all kinds of things to protect ourselves and our property—including buying expensive security systems and fortifying ourselves with weapons.
This response to fear is played out on a personal level and on a national level. As a country, we have built our “national security confidence” on militarization. The American public buys this militarization argument because those selling the argument play on our fears. That argument about the fear of “others” has spread militarization to our communities as local police don riot gear to counter protestors or use MREs to show force. This show of force—at the personal, the local and the national levels—makes many people feel protected but when we examine this show of force through the crucible of our inner lives, through our lives in the Spirit, we realize that this outward show of strength has its limits. Because it is strength based on fear, not on love.
Our lives in the Spirit teach us to love. And when we put on the Spirit of love, we see our work in the world through a different lens.
We are not alone. We know the Spirit is in us and with us. We know that the undivided life—when we let our inward experience of the Light lead us to act in the world, we can let go of despair. We can move with strength and with hope and with joy. Our participation in community brings us hope. Our life in the Spirit brings us joy and brings us peace, not as the world gives.
Let not your hearts be troubled; neither let them be afraid.
This post is an excerpt of my plenary address to North Pacific Yearly meeting on July 14, 2016.
