Afraid of whom?

I was listening this morning to a story about North Korea's arrest and trial of Kenneth Bae, a missionary.  Bae is accused of attempting to overthrow the North Korean government.  Why not accuse me of threatening to carry away the Brooklyn Bridge in the trunk of my Honda, or trying to fill in the Grand Canyon with my shovel and wheelbarrow?  The officials of North Korea show their own weakness by fearing such an insignificant "threat."  

It is a common syndrome among petty tyrants and restrictive regimes.  Every time they arrest a preacher, squash a protest, or censor an author they show how weak they are.  The lion can afford to ignore the mouse.  My observation is not limited to happenings "across the pond."  When so called academics choose to shout down those who espouse ideas contrary to the approved line, they might as well rent a billboard that proclaims, "My ideas are weak.  I can only win a debate by keeping the opposition out."

As is often the case, though, I find that as I thinkon this, I condemn myself.  I am a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, I have His word which is a fire, a hammer, and a sword.  I am indwelt by God's Spirit.  Yet, YET, too often I act as if Satan--a poor misguided, defeated spirit who, in spite of his great intellect, somehow thinks that he can win--is a force who can defeat me.  I know that "He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world," yet I too often act like it ain't so.  (1 John 4:4)  The fact is My knees sometimes buckle and my resolve fails in the face of entities far less than threatening than the Spirit formerly known as Lucifer.

Lord, may I not insult you, by fearing those who can do me no harm.

Amen.

 

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