Take off your shoes.
No jackets allowed.
No loose change in the pocket.
No electronics.
Are you ready?
Step into the scanners please.
This was the continuous refrain that met us in every airport as we travelled through one of the largest countries of the world some time ago. Fear was the key everywhere. A simple body lotion or hand cream would be checked and double checked. A harmless looking tube of toothpaste would undergo thorough scrutiny. A simple strip of pain killers would need careful examination. As for any high tech equipment like a powerful camera or a video game, the inspection was interminable.
But it was not just the airports that were subjected to such excessive scrutiny. The public awareness campaign called – ‘If you see something, say something’ still ran at high gear in the country. It seemed to be the unofficial slogan everywhere we went. According to the concept, if a citizen or passer-by saw something suspicious around him or her, he or she should say so immediately by picking up the phone and informing the authorities.
The idea is truly excellent and had helped to nip many problems in the bud. But the slogan had also led to a lot of scary moments in the country. It has made people paranoid and suspicious of everyone around them. As per a recent analysis, there were over 100 false-alarm calls a day that reached the authorities. Hot lines were constantly used to report phony threats. Innocent people were also sometimes singled out for enquiry and subjected to extensive questioning. From jay walkers to tourists, anyone could be hauled up for either walking around aimlessly or doing something which looked remotely out of the ordinary.
It is quite evident that ‘fear’ truly governs our lives today. We may negate or scorn or even be amused by the intensity of fear that some people feel, but the fact remains, that danger is always prevalent in the world. It is important to be aware of it and guard against it, in the safest way possible.
The more one ponders about the ‘fear’ that lurks behind the ‘If you see something, say something’ slogan, it is easy to see that this emotion called ‘fear’ can be a tool that keeps us from the real and present danger around us. Fear is important for survival and according to psychiatrists, it is a big part of making good decisions. It inspires action, keeps you alive and builds confidence too.
But the Scriptures seem to have another take on the subject of fear. While we are told to fear God deeply, we are also constantly instructed not to lead a life full of fear and anxiety. Scholars say that the phrase ‘Be not afraid’ appears 103 times in the King James version of the Bible, while the command, ‘Do not be afraid’ appears 46 times. Some people like to believe that the sum total of verses on the lines of ‘fear not’ appears 365 times, so much so that it looks like there is one for every day of the year, a fact which may or may not be true. All we need to remember, however, is the fact that being told ‘not to fear’ has been repeated several times in the Bible, as it is of utmost importance.
We may think that we don’t fall into the category of people who ‘fear.’ But think about it. Do you subconsciously fear failure? Do you fear being alone? Do you fear that you may lose your job and be unable to pay the loans that you have taken on your car or your house? Do you fear losing your looks, your youth and your health? Do you fear death or debilitating illness?
Scientists and doctors have proved that living with fear weakens our immune system and can cause cardiovascular damage and gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and bowel damage. Fear can also cause fatigue, clinical depression, accelerated ageing, and even premature death.
Only remedy
Whether we like to admit it or not, fear is inbuilt in our psyche. But the only solution to overcoming it, as given in the scriptures, is seeking God. As Proverbs 18.10 says, we need to believe that ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.’
The minute we ‘see’ something in our lives that is depleting us of our joy and peace and filling us with fear, we need to ‘say’ something about it to our Heavenly Father. There is nothing simplistic about this antidote to fear that the Bible places before us. It is one of the hardest things to do, as by nature, we like to be self-reliant and independent.
God constantly beseeches us to ‘fear not’. In Psalm 91.5, we read, “You will not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day.” The verse seems to imply that though there will always be calamities by day and by night, we need not fear, because He is with us. His peace and His protection will surround us like a shield, through every step of our earthly journey.
What a wonderful way to live!
Asha Chowdary is a writer, journalist and blogger stationed at Bangalore.