Casting Out Fear

Casting Out Fear

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.

“Your community made the national news.” My brother’s text message was accompanied by a link to a lengthy New York Times article highlighting the angst embroiling my community over refugees, religious tension, and cultural clashes. Somehow, my central Minnesota town of approximately seventy thousand people had become the epicenter of a national debate on refugees, with both sides of the political spectrum chiming in about what a cesspool we are—for completely opposite reasons.

As I read the article and then skimmed the horrible comments about my community, my heart was heavy, and I thought, No one will ever want to move here. No one will ever want to admit to being from here. Why did you root us so deeply in this hard place, Lord?

The truth is that our community is allowing fear to dictate our responses, drive wedges, and highlight differences rather than embrace similarities—on both sides. Fear is the root cause of so much of what has made us internet infamous.

My response to those who fear is this: I wish you could meet the young Somali men who watch soccer with my husband on Saturday mornings. I wish you could meet my Iraqi friend who shares her cultural heritage through her love of cooking. I wish you could take a road trip with my Chinese friends as we talk frankly about trade wars and the devastation it visits upon ordinary people. I wish you could meet my friends from countries we fear; people I love. People Jesus loves.

Fear is not from God. And as followers of Jesus, we are called to walk in love, not fear. While I am not foolish, I am also not fearful, and I will not listen to the voices whose primary message is fear.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

If you’ve allowed fear to keep you from relationships with neighbors, coworkers, or community members, resolve to reach out in spite of the fear.