fearfulness

Halloween: A Curse for the Nyctophobic

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afraid-of-the-dark-copy21Some people love the night and its darkness, and there are others who are petrified of the dark. If you have a strong aversion to the night, you might have nyctophobia—the fear of night or darkness.

When you consider the biblical contrast between light and darkness, you can see that it might make good sense to be nyctophobic spiritually–to hate the darkness:

• Jesus said some people love the darkness than the light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-21).
• In John 8:12, you can find one of the “I Am” statements of Jesus: I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.
• In Romans 13:11-13, Paul said we need to be aware of the time and be ready to discard the deeds of darkness.
• When he wrote to the church at Ephesus, Paul encouraged them to “Walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:7-9, 11).”
• In a time of horrible persecution, Peter reminded believers that God has “called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (I Peter 2:9-10).”
• According to John, loving the light and shunning the darkness is the key to walking with God: “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (I John 1:4-6).”

The opposite of nyctophobia is photophobia—a symptom of intolerance to the visual perception of light. Are you more tolerant spiritually to the dark or to the light? Because they are polar opposites, light and darkness cannot coexist.

Jesus discussed the issue of light and darkness with his disciples: “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).”

I encourage you to be the light in this world of darkness.

Bashful or Bold

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umbrella-raven-maYou have probably benefited from the use of an umbrella at some time or another, so you know what one is and what purpose it serves. You may not, however, know much about the Umbrella Revolution that began on the streets of Hong Kong in September of this year.

The focus of the protest centers on the demands of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, who assert the rights of the public to nominate future candidates for city government posts. Protesters have shouted “mo hou hip,” or “don’t be timid” to encourage those among their ranks to stand their ground against police action and the tyranny of Beijing.

When I read this report, “mo hou hip” resonated with me, because “don’t be timid” is at the heart of what Paul said to Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment (2 Timothy 1:7).”

The young protesters in Hong Kong are taking a stand for a cause that is much bigger than they are. They see long-term ramifications in the anti-democracy actions of Beijing, so they have chosen to stand against the oppressive actions of the government.

Their “mo hou hip” mindset reminds me of another person who took a stand in spite of the odds. When David carried supplies to his brothers who were fighting the Philistines, he was dismayed when he heard Goliath blaspheme God and mock Israel’s army. David’s bold challenge to his brothers was, “Is there not a cause?”

Even though David spoke Hebrew and not Cantonese, his message to his fellow Israelis was the same. It was “mo hou hip.” It was “do not be timid.” It was “stand and fight.”

When you are forced to face the trials of life, remember that God has not given you a spirit of fearfulness. He has given you a spirit of power, love, and sound judgment. God’s message to you is “mo hou hip.”