What do You Fear?

According to scientists, sheep have gotten a bad reputation for being, shall we say, less than brilliant. In fact, it appears that sheep are fairly intelligent creatures. They only seem stupid because they are afraid of just about everything. But what’s so scary about being a sheep? For one thing sheep taste good, especially to wolves and other wild animals who love to prey on them because they are defenseless. To make matters worse, sheep are fairly good at getting lost and when they get wet in a river or pond, their wool can get so soaked and heavy that they easily drown. Close to shearing time sheep can become so top-heavy that they may fall over and not be able to get up, making them easy targets for predator birds. Sheep, it seems, are a tragedy waiting to happen. It’s little wonder that their sense of vulnerability sometimes leads to panic and wooly-brained behavior.

Though we rarely like to admit it, we too are subject to fears that sometimes cause us to behave stupidly. Afraid of failing in business, we’re tempted to cut corners. Frightened by loneliness, we fall prey to relationships that harm us emotionally and spiritually. Fearful that we’re going to miss out, we spend money foolishly. Worried that something terrible will happen to our children, we try vainly to control their lives. Fear can become so powerful that it pushes us off the path of righteousness, making us more vulnerable to various kinds of evil. Oddly, some of us are even afraid to admit how fearful we are. Yet fear shapes our behaviors and choices in ways that lead not to greater security, but to deepened anxiety.

No wonder we need a Shepherd to keep us safe, to guide us along the right path and to lead us through the valley of the shadow of death. Today, ask the Lord to examine your heart, training a spotlight on your fears. As each one is revealed, ask him to help you conquer it through faith. Pray that God will replace your fear with a sense of security so strong that you can say with the psalmist, "The Lord is my Shepherd . . . I fear no evil."

- Ann Spangler (Praying the Names of God)