When I am Afraid

Last night, one of my sixth graders helped me pass out candy. When she saw masks like the ones above, she would yell, “You’re too scary. Why would you dress up like that! Don’t look at me!”

On Halloween, we often are confronted with images that scare us. Almost every prime time tv show included a visit to a haunted house.

Earlier in the week, I tried to “scare” Kevin. I tossed a blanket over my head, spread my arms wide, hunched over and moaned, “Booooooooooo!”

Kevin brushed past me in the hallway and resumed reading his book.

“I was being a ghost. Weren’t you scared?” I asked, joking.

“Why would I be scared? I don’t believe in ghosts. How can I be afraid of something that doesn’t exist?”

As a child, I went trick-or-treating every year. And I took great pride in my outfit. One year, I was a bunch of grapes (purple balloons safety pinned to me). I had so many grapes around me that I couldn’t fit in the mini van door! Another year I was a crash test dummy, equipped with a black eye and a pair of crutches.

But I never dressed as anything “scary.” Mostly because I already had too many things to fear – the dark, noises in the attic, staying home alone, being lost in a store, and getting locked out of the house.

I clung to the verse, “When I am afraid I will trust in Thee. Psalm 56:3” First and foremost, the verse rhymes, which in and of itself makes it repeat like a broken record. And second, it is a profound truth about the God I worship.

I still cling to the verse to this day.

Oftentimes, fear is simply my lack of trust in God. I have to actively remind myself that He is in control. As you recover from visions of small children in frightening masks, remind yourself of what you believe in. Like Kevin, I believe that God is real. And I believe He is in control. What more do I have to fear?

P.S. Happy Halloween! From Nathan! He’s always dressed in his black and orange!