John 14:1 NIV
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
Today in Sunday school we discussed fear and how that can induce either action or inaction. For example the fear of scarcity can induce us to commit acts of greed. At one point Kunte went around the class and nailed each one of us with our most disruptive fear. When it came my turn he was at some pains to identify my greatest fear, so I helped with identifying what I consider a truly frightening matter. Occasionally I will have a good and trusted friend over for a visit. In terms of honesty the friend can have a sterling reputation beyond reproach or question. Nevertheless, after the friend's visit, I might discover that an item is not where I expected to find it. Without any mental self-control, an accusation of theft flashes through my mind. I become incensed by this certain betrayal and treachery. Luckily, they are always gone when I have this "paranoid moment" so I do not embarrass myself by impetuously confronting them. Upon calming down which doesn't take but a minute or so I say to myself: "Wayne, you know you will find that item exactly were you put it – where you've mislaid it – you always do." And the fact of the matter is I always do.
Yet, this stands as a vivid illustration of why I never carry a handgun. Simply put, I know myself too well and know that a momentary flash of misjudgment can have terrible and irreversible consequences.
Interestingly Mitch (our class teacher) suggested that my real fear may well not lie with lack of trust of others, but with a subconscious fear of encroaching loss of my own mental capacity to keep track of things. Perhaps the real fear regards my own diminishing competencies--and to escape from this, I lash out at others instead.
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