“Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, nor can they do any good.”  Jeremiah 10:5

The World of Threat and Reward

Harm . . Good – When Jeremiah delivers God’s message of impending judgment, he captures both sides of our dilemma.  Fearing the threats of this world is no less sinful than seeking the solutions of this world.  The two go together, heads and tails of the same coin.  If you fear what the world might do to you, then you will be captive to what the world can offer you.  Either way, you’re dead.

God puts it bluntly.  Fearing the world’s threats is idolatry.  Why?  Because fearing what the world can do is to put the powers of the world ahead of the protection and purpose of God.  No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom!  Oh, my.  Do Jesus’ words sound a note of judgment for us?  Count the cost.  And one of those costs is to say, “Lord, my life is entirely in Your hands.  To live is Christ.  To die is gain. No man can remove me from Your love so I will fear no man.”  That is the pathway of the cross.  Perfect love throws fear right out the window because perfect love willingly sacrifices all for the glory of the Father.

But that’s not how most of us live.  When we let fears about living take first place, we are seduced into thinking that the solutions offered by the world can thwart those fears.  We have forgotten that serving an idol in fear can never lead to freedom.  Even if we are rewarded, we will eat the reward with the bitter grapes of uncertainty.  The world never gives what it cannot take back!

Did you think your wealth would keep away the fears of disease, injury or death?  Did you think that your career would protect you from loss, agony or trauma?  Did you think security and government and armies and power could keep the enemies away?  The world’s systems have only one purpose:  to offer you the seduction of thinking you are safe while raising the level of your risk.  It’s blackmail at it’s best.

God says, “Do not fear them.  They can’t hurt you and they can’t help you.”  We are quick to grab on to the “can’t hurt you” thought, but we aren’t so anxious to live on the basis that this world’s answers can’t help us.  Don’t be fooled.  Whenever you look to the world for good, you are inviting the world to harm.  Stop looking in the wrong place.

There is only one place where fear finds no foothold.  Do you know where that is?