The conservatives accuse the liberal of such tactics when it comes to global warming. One of the leading “prophets” of the global warming today said this was our “last chance” before catastrophic disasters. Perhaps the conservatives are right.
The liberals accuse the conservatives of it is regards to national security. One of McCain’s advisor recently said that it would help out his campaign to have another attack on America before the elections. Perhaps the liberals are right.
Fear. It is a powerful motivator, perhaps the most powerful there is. Well save one. Love. And yet no one is accused of lovemongering. Why? Because fear is easier to manufacture. Love is much harder to create. And that is why humans often resort to fearmongering. It is easier. It is quicker. It works.
People in Kansas are changing lightbulbs for fear of rising Ocean levels.
People in North Dakota have stockpiles in case they are attacked.
Fear works. And not just humanity knows this. Of course, it is in God’s word, “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.” And before you let your pastor convince you that that word has nothing to do with fear like we think of it, remember all the people who trembles before the Lord. I believe fear works because God uses fear to capture the attention of humanity.
But then he does his greater work. One he has caught our attention with fear, he creates love. And as the scripture testify, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” His people are blessed to no longer cower under the law, but free to love God without fear of his reaction to our manifestations of affection.
But what of us who bear his name? We are reticent to use fear of real things worthy of fear to capture humanity’s attention, and then wonder why they find us so irrelevant to their lives. We think we can love them to attention. But as anyone who have ever tried to catch the attention of one with no interest learns, this is nearly impossible. We must make clear that the wayward life leads to terrifying realities.
But as reticent as we are to employ fear, we are equally if not more to release people from fear when they are burdened by it. Fearful people are easy to lead, easy to manipulate, easy to rule over. We are often terrified to release them from live of fear and give them to the one who creates love to drive out fear. Many churches never release their people from fearful existence. they give them tastes of love, but never let them live in it.
Fear works. I am okay with fearmongering with the object of such rhetoric is real. Like fearing the wrath of God.
But love does more than work. It fulfills, it inspires, it creates. Let us that follow the One who is love be accused regularly of being lovemongers. Let us us fear only to lead people into love. And God is love.
