Children are particularly vulnerable to fear, but all persons experience fear. While there are some fears that we may perceive as silly, these are genuine to the one who has the dismay. Too often, reports arise of incidents of tragedy within the walls of school settings. In schools, all persons should receive training on critical incidents that may produce nightmares. Fire, severe weather, man-made evils, and unseen viruses do not exempt schools when occurring, and it is right that school personnel be aware and prepared. Adults, who are unperturbed in common conditions, tend to be calmer in critical conditions, and children will follow a leader to which they have become accustomed. How adults react to scary situations will often be reflected in student responses. Students come to trust leaders with predictable routines, confident that this adult “will take care of me no matter what happens.”

Children will rarely be assured by one they know to be unpredictable, especially one, who suddenly displays an inordinate peace in a frightening situation. If something or someone or some action is good, true, beautiful, healing, calming, and righteous, then Jesus is at the center of it. The Creator desires for us a life of freedom, a life of generosity, a life of faithfulness, a life without fear. All these are available to us with His simple expectation that these are also our gifts to others. Few people are unwilling to accept G_d’s gifts, but sometimes balk at passing them on, or might be selective with whom gifts are shared.


St. James charges us, “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce G_d’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness.” While you can choose your neighborhood, all persons are our neighbors. When we show acts of favoritism towards one group over another, the richly dressed over the poorly clad, the Jew over the gentile, we bring disfavor to ourselves. There are things that we should do, but equally, things that we should not do. When we share our bounty only with those who meet our standards while offering smiling platitudes to others, we may have faith, but it is not demonstrated in our works. Sending the hungry or naked off with a cheerful “Go in peace, be warmed and filled” does not serve their need, nor does it share G_d’s gifts to us.

Those not like us are also made in the image of the Creator and are in His favor. We look to Him in thanksgiving and he looks to us in expectation. We build walls for our protection, for sanctuary from our fears. Walls can be beneficial. We do need to take refuge from life’s travails from time to time. It is not healthy to remain within our private sanctuaries, to live in fear of what lies outside our secure enclosures. There are multiple instances in scripture where G_d directs his people to not be afraid, but in Isaiah, G_d tells the Israelites to go out and say to the world, say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your G_d…He will come and save you.”

There are many differences, nightmares, and fearful things in the world, but when we go outside our walls armed with the calm of our freedom, our faithfulness, and bearing the grace and generosity of Jesus, we shall be secure within the Divine sanctuary. Giving in to fear cannot conquer love, but Love walking confidently and predictably, paying genuine attention to the great and small, conquers fear. The Creator expects the latter of us. G_d is asking us to display and live in His protection of Love, His calm and blessing in our lives, and then lovingly share His gifts to us with others.
Pax,
jbt