Our Deepest Fear

Recently, I have begun to learn a little bit more about my life and how I should live it. I decided three years ago that I wanted to be a spiritual leader at my high school. I was denied the title. However, through conversation with others and personal reflection, I have realized that a title is cute and very little more. Do not be misled, I respect and am excited for those who were blessed with the responsibility to be a spiritual leader. We need such named leaders in life, for it is against our nature to take a position of service willingly. But do we truly need a title to stand up for what we believe and publicly act what our hearts profess in private? No. We are called to shine. For the Christian, it would be foolish to hide what God has created. We have been created to love passionately, live in freedom, and act righteously. We are to do all this publicly. We are to be a light in a darkened world, but I do not see my fellow "Christians" acting out what they profess in private. I do not understand why even I am unable to be on fire for the One who knit me together in my mother's womb and who sacrificed His Son so that I might live. I do not understand why I am not shouting for joy every second of every minute of every hour of every day of my life. Yet, if one were to come to a concert or sports event with me, they would experience a sickening irony. At such events, I scream, sweat, and jump for people who do not even know I exist. At church or in my everyday life, I quietly pray to God, occasionally lift my hands conservatively during worship, and talk casually to others about how good He has been to me. Is this a problem? Yes.

We are called to be great. We are called to live for the One who died for us. We are called to shine. So why do we not? Are we afraid of what others may think? Are we bored? Are we unsure if it is acceptable to be on fire for God? Marianne Williamson, the author of a Christian novel, states it quite well:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -MW

We were made to be wonderful! We were created by a perfect being to be beautiful! Who are we to hide this? And ultimately, when we allow ourselves to be free of our insecurity and we worship God in a fiery passion, we allow others around us to do the same. Some wonder how they could ever be a help to a community of static Christians. This is it; all it would take to revolutionize a community is for a group of people to stand and shine. "And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Be a change. Those who have read this entry can no longer cling to ignorance. Those who have read this must take a stand. Let us love our Maker openly for He openly loved us.

I knelt beside a bed of awakening California Poppies. Most seemed hesitant to open their beautiful orange petals to the warming sun. Though one poppy, not a significant poppy or a poppy with a title, stretched its legs and open its petals. It drank in the sun with such a glory that it seemed almost unnatural for a little flower to be so significant. However, it knew that it was created for that purpose. Others around it began following suit, once they had seen their equal take the initiative to fulfill its created purpose. I leaned over the little poppy and focused on its face with my Nikon D70. I pressed gently on that little silver button and, even though my shutter was only open for a fraction of a second, the excited little flower grew right through my lens and left a profound impression.