Fear Factor

One night earlier this week ABC Evening News had a story about unprecedented all-out approach to celebrating Halloween this year. It was highlighted that next to Christmas, the eve before All Saints Day has been the most grossing holiday in the United States, billions of dollars funneled into this sweet fear business. 

To summarize the main point expressed in the vignette, many people feel that the reality of their lives is so dreadful that people need a form of scary escape – a fake fear, a decoy dread – to help them forget their living nightmare.  At least for one horror-filled night.

I thought that was very interesting and somewhat irrational.  Fighting fear with fear. Even if it’s imaginary. But, what do I know?!!

Without a doubt, fear is a universal feeling. We all are afraid of something. Germs. Failure. Unknown. Rejection. Public humiliation. Snakes. Spiders. Calories. Loneliness. Loss. Pain. Aging. Death.

Most of us however don’t realize that we mask our fears not only on Halloween but every single day. The masks may not be as scary-looking but they are certainly at least as versatile as the little goblins that come to your door and blackmail you for a piece of candy.

Trick of Treat!

For some, the year-round mask may be an artificial smile. Or an appearance of  competence, self-confidence or control. Others hide behind the mask of sarcasm or activism or service.  

Busyness is probably the most widely accepted form of masking our fears.

But, I wonder sometimes what is it that we are really covering up?

And more importantly, what would happen if … if perhaps just for a moment, or an entire evening we paused… we stopped… and we faced our fear… our worst fear.

Head on.

If we reached out and touched it… peeling the scary mask the Fear itself is wearing?

What would we discover?

You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ in regard to all that this people call a conspiracy; you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary.  Isaiah 8:12-14