23 July 2012

fear not—increase life


“Learning to Live without Fear” is the title of chapter 6 in Beth Tanner’s The Psalms for Today.  She uses Psalm 27 as a case study of how “sin and greed and lack of faith in God and each other” lead to “fear [which] causes us to live reduced lives.” (50, 57)

Why is it important to have faith in God and in each other?  Some would argue that the two contradict each other.  Some would say that having just one of the two is all that’s necessary.  And of course, some see no difference between blind faith and faith that uses its brain.

But what about that other part?  Does fear reduce our lives?  We might think of obvious cases, like phobias—fear of whatever.  We avoid and/or loathe whatever the phobia is about.  Still, in a more fundamental way, can we think of ways in which fear reduces our lives? 

And on the flip side, can we think of ways in which love and (good) faith increase our lives?

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