Abolishing Fear with Love
Rev. J.R. Reid
One of the most important things in life is overcoming our fears. And if you are like me, you have many. But did you know that fear can only be overcome with love?
Let me share what I mean. There are three ways to Abolish fear with Love: One, by getting rid of the three robbers of life – doubt, suspicion, fear; two by praying deeply with strong feelings of gratitude and three, by replacing our fear with unconditional love.
The Bible says in Matthew 22 verses 34-40 that, “The Pharisees got together and one of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” In this reading, Jesus answers a Jewish lawyer and teacher of the Law of Moses, who raises a question to trap Him. The question he asked was what is the first and great commandment? This question divided Jewish leaders into rival schools. The Jews argued about which commandments were greater or lesser. Some pronounced the law of circumcision greater; others, that of sacrifices, ritual washing or aid to Jewish prayers. There were 248 positive laws and 365 negative, 613 in all. To keep the law was hard. So they tried to find one they might keep it in lieu of keeping 613. In verses 37, 38 it said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind,” from Deut. 6:5 which was a demand for supreme love for God? “This is the greatest and first commandment.” Great, because it embraces all others; first, in that it precedes the second that He is about to name. He who loves God supremely cannot live in disobedience to Him. Then came verse 39, “And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And then in verse 40, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophet.”
The first command sums up what we owe to God; the second, what we owe to ourselves and each other. Lev.19:18. One, who loves God supremely, will not live in disobedience to the Law; one, who loves his neighbor as himself, will seek the welfare of those around him in love. These two words, law and love, are tremendously significant. They represent two types of minds which are polar opposites. The mind which is legal finds it hard to love. The legal mind thinks of justice, but finds it hard to be compassionate. Justice without compassion can never be just. The very nature of compassion is to be just. Compassion is the real thing, because love is the real thing. A legal system without love is driven by Fear. The problem is we underestimate how much time, energy and life is lost in fear. We go through life with a 1001 fears that paralyze our actions and hold us back from being the persons God created, intended us to be. When we learn how to overcome our fears with love we will become who God intended us to be here, now and in the world.
