Are Sharks Real?

Last week I crashed at my new house after having painted the basement, while the rest of my clan stayed home for the night. While I was away, my three-year-old daughter had a brutal nightmare. When Becky went in to see what was wrong, Lucy was virtually inconsolable. Finally, after the tears began to diminish and her breath was slowly returning, she turned to Becky and asked, "Are sharks real?" It became clear that my little one had been dreaming about sharks and was absolutely terrified at what had taken place in that dream. Becky was left with little choice but to tell Lucy that "yes, indeed sharks are real."

In life there are two types of fears that we will each encounter. First, there is the self-imposed fear. This is the fear that manages to creep in every time we allow it. This fear tells us that we are not good at what we do. It tells us that we are un-likable, unusable and unworthy of life itself. These fears are created by the individual and have no actual power other than what we give it. Then there is actual fear. These are the fears we should be aware of since they can do significant damage if not protected against. A bus, for example, is something you may want to look out for when crossing the street. This kind of awareness is what keeps us safe since being hit by a bus can be very bad for your health. And yes, I am sad to say, sharks are real and can pose a real threat to life if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. This does not, however, mean that we should stop swimming in the ocean as a result. When our fears control us, we loose. Whether it be our own insecurities or the thought of a crashing market, fear can never be allowed to dictate our path.

Romans 8:31 says "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" As followers of Christ we must realize that we are playing for the winning team. It may appear at times as though we are fighting a loosing battle, but at this point we need to be reminded that the battle has already been won. If God is for us, then there is no fear, perceived or actual, that has any power over us. Sin has been conquered, Jesus has risen and if you skip to the end of the story, you will find out that Jesus will return and if we have a relationship with him we will spend eternity in His splendour. Now with all of that in mind, what do we really have to fear?

Rob