Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
1.11.2013
9.26.2011
A Poverty Theology Parable by Mark Driscoll
I've had numerous thoughts rolling around about posts...then they never get done because of the vast amount of real life things that have taken precedence. So since it looks like I may skip another week before finishing up something original, here's something pretty good for you: (original post can be found here)
A loving and generous Father once bought his son a shiny new bicycle. With a broad smile, the Father surprised the son and rolled it out and handed it to him.
Strangely, rather than looking happy, the son looked anxious. Rather than riding the bike, he stepped away from it in fear.
The Father asked the child what was wrong. The son replied, “Father, I cannot ride the bike. All around the world there are missionaries who do not have a bike. I would like to give them my bike so that they can ride it to unreached peoples and preach the gospel. The Father replied, “If you simply ask me, I am glad to also give you a second bike to give to a missionary.”
Yet, rather than simply riding the bike, the son continued to argue with his Father, saying, “I would much prefer an older bicycle. This one is shiny and new. It makes me look proud if I ride it.” The Father explained, “If I want you to ride the bike I gave you, and you are more concerned about what others think of you as you ride it than my joy in seeing you enjoy my gift to you, then you may look humble to them, but I know there is pride in your heart because you are living for their approval instead of my joy.”
Unrelenting, the son said, “But some people will talk about my bicycle out of judgment, envy, or jealousy because it is so nice. Some might even stumble and covet my bicycle. I do not want them to sin, and so I would rather not have a new bike so as to be considerate of them.” The Father replied, “If others respond to my grace to you in this way, the problem is not the bicycle but their hearts. I will deal with their hearts should they prove sinful—something you assume will happen but do not know. I will love and serve them by working to change their heart if they respond sinfully. But for you, my request is that you simply ride the bicycle I gave you. You are thinking about it too much and enjoying it too little.”
The Father walked away for a few hours, kindly asking the son to consider his request. Upon returning, the son had yet another line of reasoning. “Father, I will not ride the bike because I am fearful. I fear that it is so nice and I would enjoy it so much that it would become an idol to me. So, to avoid idolatry I will abstain from riding the bicycle.” The Father replied, “You could also ride your bike as an act of worship to me, enjoying the gift I gave you to your joy and my glory. Once again, the problem is not the bicycle.”
The son replied, “But Father, you are better than any bicycle. You are enough. I do not need a bicycle. I have you. You, Father, are enough.”
Grieved in his heart, the Father said, “I know I am enough. But I am a generous Father. I like to give gifts to my children. I like to see them blessed, happy, and free. I just wanted to watch you ride the bike. And I wanted to go for a ride with you. Then, we could have had fun, spend time together, make memories, and laugh.”
Tragically, the son never did ride the bicycle. Instead, he gave it away. He did not cause anyone to stumble, or treat his bike as an idol. And he did not obey his Father and worship him by simply being a kid and enjoying the gift his Father gave him because he was too busy being a theologian with a head full of fears rather than a heart full of fun.
8.31.2010
Boldness and Fear
There have been a couple of different things I’ve considered writing about over the past few days, but one dual topic comes back to me more than the rest. That dual topic is boldness and fear. Let me explain… and it’s gonna be a little more random than usual :)
Boldness, to me, is wrapped up very closely with faith. When your faith is large, then boldness to share that faith in any circumstance flows naturally. When you know something, then you have no problem telling about it and acting on it. It’s when you have doubts about your beliefs that timidity and uncertainty set in. Thus, when the time comes to actually put your faith into action, fear can come swooping in and paralyze you.
For me, the most common way this manifests itself is when I’m in a public place (at the mall, at a ball game, at work—basically anywhere but church) and I have the opportunity to do something for God. Whether it is the urge to pray for someone, the opportunity to witness, or an occasion arises to just step in and make sure justice is given to the helpless, I sometimes hesitate. My mind starts to wonder things like, “What if I pray for them to be healed and it doesn’t happen?” “What if they laugh at what I say?” “What if this guy beats me up for getting in his business?” All of these questions stem from fear. Even though I can feel the Lord pushing me to do/say something, I have given fear a voice in my decision-making process.
Those times that I give in to the fear, I walk away so mad at myself. Only later, after the heat of the moment has cooled, will I start to see how my timidity was foolish. The main reason I have for not doing what I know God wants me to in certain situations springs from stupid crap; i.e. I’m scared of what people will think about me. Additionally, the hesitation can spring from a lack of faith. If I genuinely believe what is written in the Bible about healing, will I not pray for the sick with more boldness? If I genuinely believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, then won’t I witness that to more people? If I really think it my duty to carry out the will of God and make sure that nobody is taken advantage of, then won’t I speak up for the widows, orphans, and powerless every time I see it happening?
The answer to having more boldness so you can do these things is increasing your faith. You increase your faith by reading the Word, walking out what you read, praying and talking to the Lord, and experiencing the work of God firsthand. As you see the truths of God manifest in your life and in the lives of those around you, fear loses its stronghold. You worry less about what people think of you; you start to care more about God’s opinion of you.
There is a Jason Upton song I was reciting the other day that says, “In your presence, all fear is gone.” How true. When we are covered in the presence of God, fear has no residence. I pray that you press into the life-changing presence of the Lord more and more. That fiery presence is what pushes out fear and raises up boldness. Please pray for me, too. I need that boldness now more than ever.
May God bless each of you richly and deeply through His Son Jesus Christ.
In His Never-Ending and Boundless Love,
adam
Boldness, to me, is wrapped up very closely with faith. When your faith is large, then boldness to share that faith in any circumstance flows naturally. When you know something, then you have no problem telling about it and acting on it. It’s when you have doubts about your beliefs that timidity and uncertainty set in. Thus, when the time comes to actually put your faith into action, fear can come swooping in and paralyze you.
For me, the most common way this manifests itself is when I’m in a public place (at the mall, at a ball game, at work—basically anywhere but church) and I have the opportunity to do something for God. Whether it is the urge to pray for someone, the opportunity to witness, or an occasion arises to just step in and make sure justice is given to the helpless, I sometimes hesitate. My mind starts to wonder things like, “What if I pray for them to be healed and it doesn’t happen?” “What if they laugh at what I say?” “What if this guy beats me up for getting in his business?” All of these questions stem from fear. Even though I can feel the Lord pushing me to do/say something, I have given fear a voice in my decision-making process.
Those times that I give in to the fear, I walk away so mad at myself. Only later, after the heat of the moment has cooled, will I start to see how my timidity was foolish. The main reason I have for not doing what I know God wants me to in certain situations springs from stupid crap; i.e. I’m scared of what people will think about me. Additionally, the hesitation can spring from a lack of faith. If I genuinely believe what is written in the Bible about healing, will I not pray for the sick with more boldness? If I genuinely believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, then won’t I witness that to more people? If I really think it my duty to carry out the will of God and make sure that nobody is taken advantage of, then won’t I speak up for the widows, orphans, and powerless every time I see it happening?
The answer to having more boldness so you can do these things is increasing your faith. You increase your faith by reading the Word, walking out what you read, praying and talking to the Lord, and experiencing the work of God firsthand. As you see the truths of God manifest in your life and in the lives of those around you, fear loses its stronghold. You worry less about what people think of you; you start to care more about God’s opinion of you.
There is a Jason Upton song I was reciting the other day that says, “In your presence, all fear is gone.” How true. When we are covered in the presence of God, fear has no residence. I pray that you press into the life-changing presence of the Lord more and more. That fiery presence is what pushes out fear and raises up boldness. Please pray for me, too. I need that boldness now more than ever.
May God bless each of you richly and deeply through His Son Jesus Christ.
In His Never-Ending and Boundless Love,
adam
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