Fear

Fear is running rampant right now.  The media has us bombarded with horrible images, scary numbers, and horror stories.  Opinions are yelled and people are attacked for their personal beliefs.  People are being cruel to each other over their opinions on masks and politics.  I don’t care what your feelings about them are, people are people, created in the image of God and we need to show God’s love.  I’ll say it again, let us show God’s love to one another.  In John 13:34-35 Jesus says,  “So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you.  For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.” (TPT)
Another fear laden situation is in our schools.  School systems are currently scrambling trying their best to figure out a responsible restart plan for the upcoming school year.  They have plan A, B, and C and are hoping that those will be sufficient to hopefully give our children a good education.  Parents are debating what the best thing for their child will be.  And you know full well that another parent is judging you about your decision to homeschool or to send your kids.  In our fear we seem to find it easier to attack people than to acknowledge the fact that we are all in a strange situation and doing the best we can.
I saw a meme on Facebook that said to practice saying these things:
Oh, you decided to homeschool.  I bet that was a hard decision.
Oh, you decided to send your kids.  I bet that was a hard decision.
 
We are all making the best decisions we can right now.  We are all living in the unknown, with things changing constantly.  We don’t want to live in fear but we also want to be smart.  What is right for me, might not be right for you, and that is okay.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Paul writes, ” Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (ESV)  Let’s do that for each other.  Lift up and encourage those around you.  We all need it.

By Erin Miller