Phobia …
(According to dictionary.com)
Noun.
- An intense, persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, situation, or person that manifests in physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, or shortness of breath, and that motivates avoidance behavior.
2. An aversion toward, dislike of, or disrespect for a thing, idea, person, or group.
According to The Recovery Village, an online site that deals with mental health and addiction issues, the top 12 phobias prevalent among people in the United States are:
- Arachnophobia (Fear of spiders)
- Ophidiophobia (Fear of snakes)
- Acrophobia (Fear of heights)
- Aerophobia (Fear of flying)
- Cynophobia (Fear of dogs)
- Astraphobia (Fear of thunder and lightning)
- Trypanophobia (Fear of injections)
- Social Phobia (Social anxiety disorder)
- Agoraphobia (Fear of a situation where escape may be difficult)
- Mysophobia (Fear of germs)
- Claustrophobia (Fear of small spaces)
- Glossophobia (Fear of public speaking)
You notice that death is not one of the top fears.
That reminds me of the old Jerry Seinfeld routine where he said that most people at a funeral would rather be the one in the casket than the person who stands up to speak!
While those are the most common phobias, they are not the most commonly mentioned in popular culture.
I hesitate to mention those that I have in mind because I don’t want this post to be interpreted as something political. Consequently, I am asking you to read all the way to the end before you decide what you think about what I’m writing today.
The phobias I have in mind relate to the second part of the dictionary definition with which I began today.
I do not speak for anyone else, but here’s what I want people to know from me:
The fact that I do not agree with, approve of, or support something does not mean that I hate the people involved, nor does it mean that I fear the people involved.
The fact that I do not agree with, approve of, or support something does not mean that I hate the people involved, nor does it mean that I fear the people involved. Share on X
But there is something that I desperately fear. It is not an irrational phobia (I have one of those—birds) but it is the thing I fear most.
The thing I fear most is that my behavior, words, or attitudes would cause people to have a distorted picture of Jesus.
The thing I fear most is that my behavior, words, or attitudes would cause people to have a distorted picture of Jesus. Share on X
I am a fully committed, unapologetic follower of Jesus. People who know me know that. I want everyone with whom I come in contact to know that.
But the terrible truth is that people who claim to be Christians have done despicable things that have resulted in a distorted view of what it means to be a follower of Jesus—and even a distorted view of Jesus Himself.
This is why it is so important to me to be constantly and consistently being transformed into the likeness of Jesus (see Romans 8:29;12:2), so that He is living His life through me as me (see Galatians 2:20).
The fear that I will mess up and get in trouble with God is not something that haunts me because I know who I am in Christ.
But the holy fear that I will misrepresent Him keeps me deeply seeking the development of His character in me.
The amazing life to which He calls us and for which He made us has very little to do with getting our way.
It has everything to do with what we are becoming because of His life in us.
Be very afraid of missing your amazing by fearing the wrong things.
Be amazing today, my friend.
