What keeps you up late at night? What makes you squirm? I have a sense that for all of us that is some thing or some things that make us uncomfortable to the point of avoidance. That there are some things we choose not to encounter or engage with based on fear. This morning, we continue our series related to biblical reality shows with an acknowledgement that each one of us has fears and anxieties. Immediately, as I was planning this series, I remembered the television show that capitalized on the common fears of average people.
Fear Factor was a reality show from 2001-2006 and then briefly again in 2011. It tested and showcased fears and strength through stunts and dares. With three stunts, the teams showed their prowess. The first stunt was physical endurance such as jumping from buildings or hanging from helicopters. The second stunt mentally challenges teams with eating, animals, or retrievals such as sitting in a vat of snakes or eating bugs. The final stunt is something from an action movie with heights, water or vehicles. These over the top scenes forced people to address their fears head on. These fears are truly fears and phobias of many, but they are not the only things we fear as humans.
Just as many people fear child abduction and spiders, even more people fear loneliness and abandonment than heights and tight spaces. A survey from Chapman University found that some of Americans’ worst fears were walking alone at night (20.3 percent of respondents felt “not at all safe” doing this), having their identities stolen (19.6 percent were “very afraid” of this), becoming the victim of a mass shooting (8.9 percent were “very afraid”) and having to speak in public (8.8 percent were “very afraid”). The Internet was also a source of great concern: 11.3 percent of respondents felt “not at all safe” there, and 21.5 percent were “very concerned” about corporations tracking their personal data online. Many of us face fears every day to continue to function in our everyday lives. Is this not the story of Gideon?
We continue in the book of Judges this morning. This episode is the call story of Gideon. The biblical narrative is filled with call stories of God’s people. God is often calling God’s people. The angel of the Lord comes to Gideon to share the good news that Gideon is being called and God will be with the people of Israel as they go into battle. Gideon responds as many might with questions, anxiety and fear. Gideon wants to know if you, God were with us, why did we suffer defeat and pain? If God was with the people of Israel, why are they in the one down position now? Simply, if God was with us, why are we in the position we are in now? Have you ever wanted to ask those questions of God? God, if you are with us, then why are we still struggling?
Gideon asks these questions of the angel. The Lord answers. The Lord does not directly answer his question, but rather commissions him to deliver Israel from Midian militarily. The switch from the angel to the Lord validates God’s presence, not merely as a hoped for dream, but a reality to be experienced. Gideon’s questions continue. From the whys to the hows. Now, how will this work? I am the smallest. I am the least. The Lord reassures Gideon – I will be with you. Gideon begins to get the hang of this, but still is not one hundred percent on board. After the whys and hows – he wants proof. He wants a sign. Can anyone resonate with this bargaining and figuring that Gideon is doing with God?
The angel of the Lord indulges Gideon with fire to consume the sacrifice that has been offered AND the voice of the Lord to speak comfort: Peace be upon you, do not fear: you will not die. As, we read on, we confirm that God was indeed faithful to God’s promises, even in the midst of Gideon’s profound and almost, crippling fear.
Even in the parable, we hear of fear as the primary motivator. Fear as the reason that the man with the one talent did not invest, did not seek return. Fear of anger and retribution, disappointment and despair. Fears lead him to make what seemed like a safe choice, but ultimately became a condemning choice. Fear is a reality of the biblical narrative. One of the most common phrases in the Bible is “Do not be afraid.” Angels of the Lord are always announcing it to those with whom they share messages. God is often telling people directly, not to be afraid. There are many admonitions that fear is unnecessary.
So why do we fear? The human body’s response to fear and anxiety (stress) is exactly the same whether a threat is real or imagined. It is a remarkable example of the effectiveness of one of our internal communication systems, and is intended to help you fight off, or run away from an adversary.
The biological and chemical mechanisms that govern our emergency responses hark back to primordial times and helped our ancestors deal with threats from predators, and other tribes. Without them, they would have been easy pickings. These days the things that make us fearful and anxious are benign by comparison to life as a cave dweller, (there are no saber-toothed tigers lurking around the corner) but our bodies deal with threats in the same way, and it is the stress hormone that regulates this red alert system.
In no way, do I wish to underplay the role that fear and anxiety have in many of our lives. In fact, I want to suggest that it is even more common than we might realize. Not just common today, but also common in the days of old – in the scriptures as the people in the biblical narrative find themselves terrified of God, inflicted pain, and many of the same phobias that afflict us today. I do want to also note that there are those of us who live with anxiety that is not only related to situations, but as a biological response to existence. This is a real experienced reality for some.
The antidote to fear is presence. We know this implicitly. When our children are frightened in the middle of the night, we wrap our arms around them to comfort them. When a friend is facing difficult test results, we pull up a chair and join them in the wait. When a family member is terrified of a threat, real or imagined, we join them in their fears. When we feel as though God is with us, we feel more able to address the challenges we face.
I hear people all the time talk about not feeling that God is with them and wish the presence of God was more tangible. Like Gideon, we would like to imagine that God’s presence means the absence of challenge in the world. God does not promise an absence of conflict, but God’s presence in the middle of challenge. God did not address the details of Gideon’s inquiries of how and why God was going to work. Instead, God affirmed God’s very presence with Gideon as enough of a sign of God’s faithfulness.
Yesterday, Melissa and I were at Planting Seeds for Ministry at Hopewell UMC with lots of wonderful speakers related to relating to and reaching newer, younger, and more diverse persons for Christ. The worship preacher, Rev. Nick Camacho, was sharing a message about God’s heart for all people, inclusive of race and ethnicity. Near the end of his message, he asked a poignant question about what is means to be the church who engages with one another in the midst of fear and anxiety. He asked in a strong Puerto Rican accent, “Will you be God’s shoulders for me when they make jokes about my accent?” How are you and I the presence of God for those who live in fear? How have others been the presence of God for you in the midst of your moments and seasons of fear?
Georgia O’ Keefe, the famous painter of the 20th century, was known to say “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to.” In the midst of fear and anxiety, you and I, like Gideon, are offered faith. God, not only promises to be with us, but offers us the presence of others in our lives for those we can see, hear, and lean on. So, on this day, you have a choice, you can live in fear and anxiety, darkness and defeat or you can live with the confidence that you and I are the children of God, whom God is with and who calls others to walk alongside us.
This is the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.
http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/22/what-are-you-afraid-of/?_r=0
http://www.masccares.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6:biologyoffear
Old Testament Lesson: Judges 6:11-24
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 25: 14-30