By Trillia Newbell, The Ethic and Religious Liberty Commission
The news stories continue to pour in and all of us—red and yellow, black and white—look on in disbelief. Could this really be happening in 2016? Police officers being shot down; cops using what appears to be excessive force resulting in the death of black men. We sense the divide, hear the divide and feel the divide. It is real, palatable, and for many, downright frightening. Because of all that’s happened (even in just the last couple weeks), the citizens of our nation are struggling with fear and are worried about the future.
I remember when I first realized that so many of these stories were beginning to affect me. I was walking out of a store when a policeman was walking in, and I froze. I halted and smiled and then began walking briskly to my car. I was surprised by my response. And I was ashamed that I stereotyped that officer. I’m thankful to God for our law-enforcement. There are honest men and women who are working hard to keep our cities safe and secure. And, yet, there’s no denying that there’s a new fight in my heart and in the hearts of many.
We—myself included—are fighting against fear. And others are fighting against being feared and misunderstood. We are fighting to learn to love, and many others are fighting to be known by their love. My prayer is that we’ll fight together and learn to fight the right fights. I pray the American church would be filled with people from all nations fighting to love one another and proclaim the unity of Jesus to the world—together.
I’ve written a book on the topic of fear
Because we know God and because we fear God, we can trust God. There is only one God, and He is our Father. He most clearly reveals Himself in His Word, so it is there that we must turn to learn more about Him and grow in fearing Him. We see His words written on everything from bumper stickers to Hallmark cards, but we can’t miss that they are the words of life and that they are trustworthy.