Superman...

"Angus, Superman isn't brave... You don't understand. He's smart and handsome, even decent. But he's not brave. Now, you listen to me. Superman is indestructible. And you can't be brave if you're indestructible. It's people like you and your mother. People who are different, who can be crushed and know it, but they keep going out there every time." -Angus

"Fear not, for i have redeemed you' I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, i will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." -Isaiah 43:1-2

Spiders? Arachnophobia.

Public Speaking? Glossophobia.

A recent study by the National Institute of Mental Health found that 8.7% of Americans suffer from some form of specifically-triggered fear. For some it's as simple as snakes and heights. For others, it's more profound. Stressful interactions. Unknown environments. Point being, we are a people of fear.

Nicole Kidman is afraid of butterflies. Johnny Depp is afraid of clowns. And you won't ever see Oprah around chewing gum.

We've all got things that we're afraid of. When I meet people, I love to ask what their deepest fear is. The answer can tell you so much about somebody.

But fear is nothing new. The bible is a story full of fear.

When Moses met God at the burning bush, he was overwhelmed. When God told him to go back to Egypt, where they wanted him dead, he came up with every excuse to not return, going so far as to plead with God, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." God's response? "I will be with you."

When God comes to Jeremiah as a boy and tells him to go out and prophesy to his people, Jeremiah wants no part of it. "I'm only a child and I do not know how to speak," he argues. God's response? "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you."

When David is laying out the plans for the temple that his son Solomon is to build, it all became just too much for Solomon. The dimensions and the materials and the tools. It all just became a bit overwhelming. David's response? "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."

The most celebrated names of the bible are people who were wracked with insecurities and fears.

I'm no different in my life. I may not be afraid of black cats or flying, but my story is full of fears. I am terrified of commitment, as I'm sure my ex's could attest to. But not in some giggly "Oh, another guy who is afraid of commitment" kind of way. I mean, I fear committing to things when it requires closing myself off to other options. I am terrified of choosing one door when it requires closing others. So often in my life, once something has demanded that I invest completely and work with all my energy, I have bailed.

I am scared of being bold and being known, being vulnerable. Few things scare me more than the idea that others might know the most intimate feelings and insecurities in the corners of my heart that I try too often to hide even from the Father. I construct conversations and comments to paint the prettiest picture of my life, so that people will only be able to see what I want them to see. Sharing the depths of my soul with someone is horrifying for me.

But when people ask me for my deepest fear, my answer is the fear of being forgotten, of being unimportant to others. I fear my life could be an interchangeable part, that I could be replaced by anyone else and that when I move out of sight, so too does my memory. It drives me to keep myself in others' attention.

And of course, I fear rejection. I fear putting myself out on a limb when I'm unsure of its stability.

But like the faces of the biblical stories, there is a God behind me calling out, "Do not be afraid. Be strong and courageous for I am with you." He is painting a bigger picture.

When I was a kid, I was totally into superheroes, convinced one day I could be Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent. I distinctly remember having a red Superman cape with velcro straps on the shoulders. You see, superheroes weren't afraid of anything. They went and took the bad guys out with a big, "KAPLUNK!"

I think that's why I love the movie Angus. Angus is a heavy kid who's been elected king of the upcoming dance, something that terrifies him. In a moment of absolute wisdom, his grandfather reminds Angus, "Superman isn't brave. Superman is indestructible, and you can't be brave if you're indestructible."

It's my fears that make me human.

But to live the story that God has written for my life, I have to listen to the voice that whispers, "Be not afraid for I have with you."

The most frequent commandment in the bible is not "Do not murder" or "Do not lie." No, it is "Do not fear." And I'm convinced that's because fear is one of the most authentic human emotions and because it dictates so much of our stories, pulling them down roads infinitely less consumed by light and life. I'm sick of living a story where my choices are defined by safety. I'm tired of being afraid to take risks and live the life that God calls me into, life to the FULLEST. When my fears of commitment and rejection and intimacy dictate my choices, my story is only a fraction of what it could be.

Donald Miller tells a story about a friend of his named Bob. "He didn't think we should be afraid to embrace whimsy. I asked him what he meant by whimsy, and he struggled to define it. He said it's that nagging idea that life could be magical; it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks."

We all have fears. They are a part of who we are. Maybe yours are financial. Or based in relationships. Or maybe they are as simple as the fear of the dark. But whatever they might be, they do not define us, not unless we let them. God is writing a much more beautiful story for our lives than fear ever could. I think it's about time I started embracing a little whimsy and started letting go of my fears. Wanna join?

forever unfinished...