Live without fear

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

LIVE WITHOUT FEAR

Matt 10:26-31

26 "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

NIV

Jesus had just told them about some who call him the devil and how much more they will be against those who are his disciples. Now he continues telling them not to be afraid of them, not to fear mere men for they too are but mortals. Some may hide their true character under the cloak of religious appearance, but Jesus tells them whoever tries to hide under that pretense will be made known. Once again we have to come to terms with the truth that man sees only that which in on the outside, but God sees into the heart of man. It might be fine to have our facade for the benefit of others, so they think well of us, but what does God see beneath that exterior. Is there a rotten building behind that façade? This type of person is who he warns his disciples about, yet not to fear them. In the days of Christ, these men were the Pharisees. He called them whitewashed tombs, nice on the outside, but dead inside. The whole idea, as he continues is that all will be revealed. What is concealed will be disclosed, what is hidden will be made known, what is said in the dark, even whispered, will be proclaimed from the roof. We remember what a former pastor once said that our personality is who we are when we are with people, our character is who we are when we are alone. Jesus goes on to tell them and us not to be afraid of people who are like false teachers, fake religious people, wolves who appear in sheep’s clothing. The world can kill our body. We can be murdered by evil men, which is just a fact, the body will die one way or the other, but our soul, or spirit is who we really are. We need to be aware of these types who can destroy our soul, this one who can destroy our soul. He can bring those who would teach falsehoods which can lead spiritually weak people astray and take away the truth who leads them to heaven. This is what is spoken about being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Jesus tells us how important we are to God and how he cares so much about us, and oversees our lives. He even knows the very hairs on our head. How much more does he know the desires of our heart and the thoughts of our mind? Does that mean every time we fail, we submit to some temptation, God gets angry with us and cuts us off from his love and grace? That would not be consistent with his character. He knows we desire to resist temptations, but because we are human and not divine as he is, we cannot be perfect. Yes, Jesus live in us, or the Spirit, but at the same time we will not attain the perfection of Christ until we are with him in heaven. But our desire is to resist, and the devil’s desire is not only  to steal our soul, but also our joy. He accuses us before God, making the case of our sinful state. Yet because God cares for us so much, even the devil cannot do anything to us unless it is the will of the Father. The whole idea is that we have nothing to fear from men or the devil, for God keeps us in the palm of his hand. Yet once again we should be innocent as sheep and wise as a serpent, knowing who to be on guard against. Still we having nothing to fear.