But what about fear of poisonous spiders or crossing unsafe bridges? The point is that some fear is healthy.
FDR told us that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” For the approximately 418,500 American who died in WWII, his assurance rang hollow. They did have something to fear as did their families.
Fear is not necessarily a psychological illness but rather can be an indication of health. The person with the “No fear” sticker on his truck probably misses that point. But most Americans do as well.
On the eve of the inauguration of a new President who will head up the most liberal government this country has ever known at a time of great national peril, my greatest fear today is the lack of fear among Americans over the condition and future of our country.
Most conservatives think that we are headed in a bad direction, but they convey an underlying attitude that ultimately things will come around. It’s sort of like watching a movie. The situation tends to get scary in the middle, but no need to get scared because you know that it will all work out in the end.
What is the basis for this confidence? Some would say, “Well, it always has worked out.” They overlook the reality that history, including recent history, is full of accounts of populations that have fallen prey to terrible plights.
Others place their confidence in our national character. “We’re Americans. We are survivors. We always have and always will.” To quote the investment disclaimer, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.” A case could be made for the position that we are not the nation we used to be, morally, economically, and in many other categories, and therefore we have no basis for expecting the same outcome as before.
Some place their hope in the Lord. We need not fear because we are trusting in God. I have even had Christians get angry with me and label me as faithless because of my fear. However, I fear because I do believe. Scripture tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the beginning of knowledge.
Many evangelicals are not fearful because they have concluded that the fear of the Lord means “reverential awe.” As one well-known Christian writer stated, “We should never fear God.”
However, the biblical words related to the fear of the Lord are the plain old Hebrew and Greek words for fear. Many skilled expositors have tried to make the fear of the Lord mean something else, but it does not.
Others set up a straw man by asking, “Are you suggesting that we should be cringing in God’s presence? I had a wonderful father. When I was playing it straight I was perfectly comfortable in his presence. However, when I was living in disobedience I was fearful. That is what Scripture is telling us about our relationship with God.
In 1965 Billy Graham wrote a book entitled World Aflame. In reading the chapter on the sinful condition of America, his wife, Ruth commented, “Billy, if God doesn’t come soon and bring judgment upon the United States, He’s going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”
Our nation is far more wicked today than in 1965. However, we are far less concerned about God’s judgment than was Ruth Graham. Why?
Sometimes fear is a phobia, a sickness. Sometimes a lack of fear indicates pathology. I would challenge you to read the 27 passages in Scripture that speak of the fear of the Lord and decide whether our lack of fear indicates whether we are healthy or sick.