Articles
Fear
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"And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed'" (Matt. 25:26).
The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!" (Prov. 22:13)
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The one-talent man in Jesus' Parable of the Talents is often held up as an example of timidity. He allowed his fear of making a mistake to hold him back from doing anything, so he accomplished nothing. The moral of the story is clear: Don't let your fear be a barrier to action!
That's a valid deduction. Like this servant, we have our own fears that can paralyze us and keep us from using our gifts. Fear of failure can paralyze us into not trying. Fear of rejection or ridicule can prevent us from standing up to evil. Fear of exposure can keep us curled up in our warm little cocoon so others can't see "the real me." Or we may hold back out of fear of the unknown; we prefer to stay sequestered in the comfortable status quo that we know so well. Yes, fear can be a powerful inhibitor to action.
However, if we read the rest of His parable we learn that Jesus dismissed fear as the real problem here. Notice the label the master assigned to the man: “you wicked and lazy servant.” The master recognized that the servant's claim of "fear" was merely a cop-out, a cheap excuse for a deeper moral defect.
Solomon captured the connection long before Jesus did: When people complain about the threat of lions in the street, they're usually just throwing out a flimsy alibi for their apathy. Fear may be real, but in almost every case, it is a cover for laziness. They just don’t want to be bothered with the trouble of taking on the challenge that lies before them.
Even the most fearful people can muster the courage to overcome their fears, once they make up their minds to do so. Moses was afraid of confronting Pharaoh--but he did it anyway. Gideon was scared of taking on the Midianites--yet became a great hero. Esther was fearful of going before the King unannounced--but she barged in and spoke up ("If I perish, I perish"). The apostles were terrified of taking on the power structure of their day--yet look at what they accomplished! Fear was in the hearts of all these people, but with some coaching and prodding, they finally overcame their fears and achieved great victories.
Whatever your fears, look deep inside and see if there isn’t a touch of laziness holding you back. It's time to clean out the mental cobwebs, strengthen your resolve, and rise up to the challenge before you.
—David
