They Are Gone

From http://www.el-paso.ucg.org/


They Are Gone
A commentary by Hannah Baker
They are gone, burnt to the ground.
Only last October I walked the teeming streets of Bangkok, Thailand, with my father, stepping over garbage and around street vendors and holding my breath as we turned certain corners where especially offensive smells lurked. Ironically, we then dined in some of the most beautiful buildings and upscale spots in Bangkok or all of Asia.
However, when my father visited Bangkok in early June 2010 on business, he saw the smoking ruins of those buildings, some of which had been the nicest of their kind. The protesters called the red shirts had torched them.
Fears of the many
What sparked the protesters' indignation? Why, exactly, did this mob wreak havoc in the once-peaceful city streets? There is a one-word answer: fear.
The Thai protesters fear that their government is taking advantage of them. The Thai people fear more violence between the protesters and the police.
Fear lurks nearly everywhere. Filipinos in the southern Philippine islands fear the militant Muslim groups. Many people in developing nations such as India, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, fear the ever-present hunger and thirst that threaten to ravage the masses of poor.
European leaders fear that their hard-won European Union will splinter. Americans fear a prolonged recession and the effects of the oil spill in the Gulf.
Fears of the one
What are our individual fears? Whether logical or not, we all have them.
Will there be jobs available when I am out of college? Will the oil spill reach my state or the town I live in? What if I am caught in the next violent outbreak at my school or college? Is it possible that I could be abducted if I traveled to Spain or France as an exchange student? Could it actually rain tomorrow and spoil my water-skiing?
Does fear really do any good, though? Some say that it's impossible to live without it. It's an unavoidable aspect of life, isn't it?
Fears of none
As several million unarmed former slaves were being run down by Egyptian forces, God told the fearful children of Israel through Moses, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again" (Exodus 14:13, English Standard Version throughout).
Forty years later, while training Joshua how to effectively lead the troublesome Israelites, an elderly Moses instructed, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
So, God would have us not be afraid. He wants us to entrust all of our problems and worries, large or small, to Him and fear—respect—Him. "The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear [respect, stand in awe of] him, in those who hope in his steadfast love" (Psalm 147:11).
Let your fears be gone
Fear is like a rebel blockade. Fear only hurts us. It doesn't remedy any problems we face. In fact, fear blocks our minds from reasoning clearly and well, making it harder to come up with feasible solutions.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to live without being afraid? Well, it's worth trying! You can start by checking out this great story, "Fear and Faith." VT

About the Author Hannah Baker lives in the mountains of North Carolina and is working on her bachelor's degree in English. She attends the United Church of God in Hickory, North Carolina.

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