Don't Be Afraid...Just Believe
Are humans naturally fearful?
What do you think? If we took a poll, would your guess be that every person we meet has at least one thing they are fearful about. Do we have fears? Time for the short answer: absolutely.
Recently, I spend more than an hour in the photography blind. This Chickadee was one of the birds who paused long enough for a quick photo.
This is about our fears. We know what fear is. Deep fear is terror. Fear we live with every day brings dread. Then we have a group of fears which cause anxiety, or worry. Being surprised by a monster? That’s horror. (Perhaps you laughed at the image…but sadly,there is reality, we can build monsters in our minds.) Sometimes fear creates panic; people get trampled in a panic. Let’s remember one other aspect of fear…it’s dread. Why do we dread telling the truth?
Don’t be frustrated, what comes next is not a leap to a new subject…do birds have fear? Let’s answer that question right away-no. Birds are wary. They do not worry. They are watchful and careful…they do not fear. In a bird’s world there is much which could cause fear: predators, freezing to death on a cold winter’s night, starving from lack of food…or…(I do like cats.) a quick death from the neighborhood cat.
This female Hairy Woodpecker comes to feed on the suet on our bird feeder. She’s watching the camera lens move.
We are both fearful during this time of worldwide pandemic…and friend, that is just the beginning of the list. Consider these two facts, both relate to fear… Jesus spoke them:
A. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26
B. Ignoring what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:36
How do these perfect-counsel filled words from the Creator of the Universe instruct us? Very glad you asked.
This may be the only photo of an English Sparrow in my files. Also called House Sparrows, these birds are nonnative. They are aggressive. Never the less, the hand of God feeds this guy as well.
Become a bird watcher. Ok, you don’t have to buy a field guide and binoculars, but watch the birds. Find a place where you live where you can watch the birds. You will enjoy the color, the energy, the predictable behaviors, and feathers in flight. Guess what? You will never see a bird consumed with worry. As you watch the birds, it would be wise to keep the words of the BIRD INVENTOR in your thoughts. Birds don’t plant, grow, harvest or store crops in bins. God feeds them. One thing a bird never has: fear. It may be a wise activity to begin to watch birds.
Now consider the second fact…”Don’t be afraid, just believe.” This is one of the greatest lines of counsel any human will ever receive. These words were not spoken by some imaginative super-hero. No mighty military leader spoke them…not the governor, not the mayor…not the president or prime minister. These words are NOT human thought. These words are from Jesus. The Creator of the World, the Son of God spoke them. These words were given by the ultimate authority. They mean something…these words are absolute-final.
God feeds this male Dark Eyed Junco. When birds migrate there is food available…God knows just how to place it.
“Don’t be afraid, just believe.” These words Jesus first spoke to a man named Jairus. The day they were spoken, Jairus, a Jewish religious leader, had come to Jesus in utter desperation. His daughter was dying. He frantically pleaded with Jesus to go with him and go to his daughter and heal her. The Bible tells us, Jesus went with him. Would you like that? So would I.
This is the truth…neither of us asked. Jesus is already with us!
Now the rest of this account. While Jesus and Jairus were on the walk to his house. Yes, I am certain they were walking quickly, people came from Jairus’ house and said, “Don’t bother Jesus, your daughter has died.” Put yourself in the place of Jairus. Would your legs give way? Your eyes would fill with tears. You might even fall to the ground. One of the worst fears we have is imagining the death of a loved one. Jairus experienced that.
Do you know what Jesus said to him? Yes, you do.
“Don’t be afraid, just believe.”
Now remember this: Jesus is already going with you. He knows your every fear…every detail. He is God. Listen, this is big…this can be life changing for you…Can you hear Him?
This Red Bellied Woodpecker does not have a food cabinet just beyond the limb it is perched on. It comes to our bird feeder for sunflowers. See its pointed bill? The hull of the sunflower does not last long! Oh, it is watching the camera lens. Remember there is a difference between fear and wary….This bird is wary.