Trying not to fear

There are times in reading the Bible the meaning of a word seems ambivalent.

Fear, for example, is such a word.

In the book of Proverbs, we read "fear" is a good thing.

From the New International Version, the most popular translation in terms of sales in the United States, we read, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

As you peruse the rest of the column, keep the object of fear in mind. It will help.

Personal

My mother in Pennsylvania is quite ill as this column is being written.

She has lived a long life and until the last decade or so, has been quite healthy.

When I consult the Bible, which is where my mind usually goes when considering the existential questions of life, I read this: "Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty." (Psalm 90:10/New Living Translation)

By the aforementioned measure, my mom has hit the benchmarks already, as she is 85.

No matter, fear still resides in me.

It's not paralyzing nor debilitating.

In all candor, however, knowing Mom's days are short -- and she tells me she is ready to go -- fear lives.

Wisdom from films

I've just watched an old black-and-white 1943 film, "This Land is Mine," starring Charles Laughton as a middle-aged bachelor schoolmaster who lives with his mother.

Laughton's overwhelming characteristic, according to the people of his fictional town, is fear.

An air raid sees him sobbing into the arms of his elderly mom, causing laughter in the school's children and leaving him tagged with a moniker no one would select for himself: coward.

His mother, by contrast, seems fearless -- standing up to the Nazis who have occupied the town and challenging the mayor to step up and protect the citizens.

If it were me, if it was 1943, and air raids nightly terrorized my community, would my reaction be closer to Laughton or to his mother?

In a much more recent motion picture, 1991's "Defending Your Life," note the following insight:

"Fear is like a giant fog. It sits on your brain and blocks everything -- real feelings, true happiness, real joy. They can't get through that fog. But you lift it, and buddy, you're in for the ride of your life."

Object of Fear

Recall the opening words to this missive, readers, suggesting the fear of God is beginning of wisdom.

"Fear," in this context, must mean something else than quivering in one's boots.

No, it seems fear in this verse means respect. The respect for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom makes a lot more sense.

Jesus

The gospel of Luke leaves us with a couple of memorable verses attributed to Jesus worth noting.

The King James Version uses the words "fear not," while the New Living Translation inserts "don't be afraid."

I'll use the latter to conclude this column.

Luke 8:50: Don't be afraid, believe only and she shall be made whole.

Luke 12:7: Don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

Respect, yes, fear of God, is a worthy thing.

But fear of others, of what this life will hold?

Jesus tells us such fear is unworthy of one of his followers.