Blog 569 – 03.12.2017

The F Word

I am borrowing the title of today’s blog from a another person’s blog that I read yesterday. The writer said she loathed the most common word people think of when they hear the term “the F word” and went on to write about another four letter word starting with F called fear. I would like to add a few thoughts about the dirty word fear but before I do here is a quote from Rufus Wainwright’s song “Hallelujah.”
One of my favorite verses says:

“You say I took the name in vain
But I don’t even know the name
And if I did well really what’s it to ya.
There’s a blazing light in every word
It doesn’t matter which you heard
The whole or the broken hallellujah.”

I disagree with my blogger friend about the merits of the number one F Word. It is a very useful and descriptive word if you know what the person using it is trying to convey. It is my personal opinion that two four letter words that are not thought to be curse or swear words are far nastier and more hurtful. They are “fear” and “can’t.” I would rather hear the F Word any day than those two. I admit to you that I have used those truly loathsome words way too much in my life. And the first one “fear” is usually a big factor in the use of the second one “can’t.” How often have we said, “I can’t,” when what we really meant was, “I am afraid.”

Fear is what keeps our mouth closed when we know we should speak up. Fear is what keeps us seated when we know we should stand up. Fear is what keeps us from making the difference we are here to make, fear of standing out, fear of being misunderstood, fear of being criticized, fear of being attacked. I love the word that says, “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.” The time for excuses is past. We need to understand that when we hear ourselves saying, “I can’t,” that we are really saying “I won’t” for the truth is, “I can do all things through Him that strengthens me.”

A very wise and inspired President said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Fear paralyzes far worse than the Polio that made useless his legs. And because he did not give in to “fear” and “can’t” he stood up for us and made a big difference. Fear causes us to run when no one is chasing us. Fear causes us to believe lies about others, our brothers, and see them as our enemies. Fear is the fuel of our impulse to hate and to war. But the good news is: “Perfect love casts out fear.” Whatever you are afraid of love it and watch it become as even Polio was for Franklin Delano Roosevelt a stepping stone to greatness.

“Fear not, for I am with you” are seven of the sweetest words ever written, said, or sung. And even they start with a dirty little four letter word – fear.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White