On several occasions when a topic causes people concern, I’ve heard people too quickly toss out the dismissive label, “Fear sells.” At that point, they ask their listeners to relegate the issue to the sidelines and move on with life unconcerned. We should never be led by fear, but we should never ignore its presence without further examination. The presence of some kinds of fear might be a Godly warning we need to heed for our good and the good of our family.

As we scroll through social media and read various news feeds, much of what we see is filled with fear-inducing content. So are many of the conversations we have at this time in history. People sense something is amiss. 

Hearing social commentators, and even a few theologians superficially speak about these things is done with a dismissive tone. Their dismissal can come across like someone tossing out a “Fear sells” label as an invitation to “Move on, there’s nothing to see here” when there is real evidence a wise person would not prematurely dismiss out of hand.

I have a word for some of you who have been following such a faulty mindset – “You’re on your own.” You are on your own to dig deeper into what concerns you without letting fear take hold of your thoughts. To do this will require a deeper intimacy with Jesus because whatever is about to be shaken cannot shake God’s hands from your life if your trust is planted firmly in Him. Only with that understanding can we honestly examine what is happening and not be controlled by fear.