Joseph Magara 🇺🇬🇺🇬

Dear Dale, and Christians everywhere, There are millions of things you can choose to be afraid of in this world. Jesus explicitly told us to expect dangers, persecution and hardship. These things are part of the Christian life. It's always been that way. A Christian leader who mainly spreads a message of suspicion, fear, anxiety, shame and anger is not preparing people well, either for the work of the righteous Kingdom of God, or for effective perseverance under persecution, tribulation and evil. It's also not leading any unbeliever, whether Jew or Gentile, toward the kind of mindset or life Jesus taught, or toward the things he promised and taught us to give thanks for, patiently wait for, and pray for. Nor does it produce genuine repentance or sorrow over one's own sin. Instead, it encourages a victimhood mindset in which the focus is always on what other people are doing to you, taking from you, or withholding from you. The result is a congregation shaped mainly by anxiety, suspicion and resentment, all of which run contrary to faith in God, love, joy and the peace that surpasses all understanding, the very things that are supposed to flow out into a lost world that so desperately needs them. Sure, fear does make people easier to mobilize. It creates a temporary emotional herd mentality and conformity to a cultural, political or religious movement. But that is not at all the same thing as becoming more faithful, truthful, courageous or loving in the way Jesus described. You can see the same dynamic in far-left organizations, scared to death by fears of global warming, anti-trans violence, data centers, or whatever the current thing happens to be. Yes, fear can be very effective at getting people to conform, organize and act. Social engineers and dictators have always understood that, and the powers of darkness understand it too. But fear does not form the kind of character that effectively endures suffering without becoming faithless, bitter, cruel or vindictive. It just makes us weaker. Preparing Christians for persecution does not mean teaching them to be afraid of their enemies in advance. It means preparing them to remain truthful, steadfast, merciful and free from hatred when opposition actually comes. Look at your Savior, not at all the constantly looming threats. What you choose to focus on and draw inspiration from is what you gradually become more like. --- 📜 "For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7) 📜 "Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) 📜 "But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) 📜 "In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) 📜 "But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. 'Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled.'" (1 Peter 3:14)