Creation Care Mom

Upfront, I’m a worrier, and fear is a common shadow in my life. I’m often reclaiming my identity in Jesus that tells me I don’t have to be afraid. But today, I want to write about collective fear. Fears that our prevalent in our society.

Technically, I’m a young Millennial. I’m the generation that right now is trying to buy homes and start, or have, young families, while paying off student loans. We are in the middle of building careers, watching our parents age and need additional care, and looking for childcare. All of these balance on a fine edge financially.

Financial fear is so common. Will wages keep up? Is housing going to ever be affordable? Will a single health crisis bankrupt us? Will I be able to afford the hospital bill if my child is born premature? Will we ever be able to retire? When we do, will there be Social Security and/or Medicare available to us? Will we need to support our parents financially as they age? How many kids can we have and still afford childcare? All these questions and fears are realistic given the lives we are living. What ways can we turn these fears over to God?

What about anything described as “woke”? Almost certainly fear mongering for political gain. Originally used to as “awareness of social inequalities and discrimination, specifically towards African Americans”, “woke” has been coopted by the political right to describe leftist and progressive movements. It’s thrown around in all sorts of ways now to incite fear, but it is being misused for political gain. So we should ask, who benefits from the fear of “woke” policies? Who loses?

What about our fears of others? Immigrants, LGBTQIA+, people of color, people of other religions.

In the USA, both parties will tell you that the immigration system is broken, though they differ on how to handle it. Democrats are widely for reforming the system so that more immigrants can enter legally. Entering legally is a difficult, expensive, time consuming, and very selective process right now. The backlog of applications is long, and the reality is many will die in their home countries before being approved to enter the USA. Read this and this. As a result, many desperate men, women, and children enter the USA illegally, mostly at the Mexico-USA border. Rather than reforming the existing system, Republicans generally advocate for a “strong border defense” and punishing those who dare to enter illegally. Instead of increasing funding to the legal system, they want to increase funding for border patrol, building longer and taller walls, and increase deportations. So much of the immigration discussion is based in fear. Sometimes the way the news tells it every illegal crossing the border is bringing in fentanyl or weapons. That simply isn’t true, its fear mongering. We need to be on guard as politicians fuel those fears so they can maintain power and control.

LGBTQIA+, people of color, and people of other religions have been part of the USA population for a long time. As these groups have gained larger voices to speak out against their mistreatment/discrimination, a significant portion of the population, especially Christians, have responded in fear. Fear of losing influence and fear of the cultural shifts happening in our country. Out of that fear, we must be careful to remember our country separates church and state. Meaning, my religious views should not be imposed on you through state legislations. Just as I do not want another religion imposing its viewpoint on me through laws. Jesus certainly did not force his opponents to follow any of his teachings, he did not overthrow Rome (the State) and establish his kingdom, and he did not encourage his followers to seek cultural power and influence. Guard yourself from manipulation based on fear.

Finally, environmental fears are common and increasing worldwide as climate change continues to alter our lived environments. A growing number of young people are developing climate (change) anxiety, but it goes beyond the young. Anxiety based on distress about climate change and its impacts on the planet and human existence. The reasons to be fearful are real, and getting worse every day. The scars of human influence are present in every landscape. However, even here, I must caution not to be swept up in the doom and gloom predicted. I believe in a good God who will come again to redeem and restore one day. Does that mean we cease to act? And, as such, hasten his return? No. It means even when I fear the odds are stacked against us. I have hope, a hope that will not disappoint.

Which is what it all comes down to really. Hope. In the all powerful, all present God of the universe. No fear, no matter how looming or dire, no matter how loudly shouted. No fear is greater than the one I serve. In his ultimate love, he casts out all fear as a light casts out darkness. There is always hope.