A Leader Who Holds onto Hope in the Midst of Fear
A leader holds onto hope in the midst of fear.
What happens when people make decisions based on fear and worst-case thinking? "Fear culture" is a term that refers to the perceived presence of fear and anxiety in public discourse and relationships. That is the reality across much of the world today. The upheaval of COVID-19 has impacted the lives of almost every leader. In the middle of unprecedented circumstances like the ones we face, so much can threaten our peace. Take politics, for example. It is not easy to find the truth amid political clashes and posturing. Where truth is hidden, the absence of peace comes to light. And that absence of peace is fear.
We are not the first generation to wrestle with this fear culture. The disciples who walked with Christ were dominated by it. In John 20:19-23, we see a moment of great fear among the disciples (v. 19). "For fear of the Jewish leaders" — that small phrase reveals the disciples’ hearts and the challenge of having faith. The disciples had lost their peace; their Messiah had been killed (John 18-20). It is easy to understand why they did not remain steadfast in the hope of the resurrection. And yet, they had also walked closely with Christ for several years and had already been taught that this would happen — they knew HE WOULD CONQUER DEATH! (cf. Matt. 16:21-28; Luke 17:20-37). Unfortunately, their fear of what the Jewish leaders might do to them was greater than their hope in the resurrection.
In the same way, fear culture can have a similar grip on a leader’s life. Fear can blind you to hope. As the story continues in John 20, mysteriously, Jesus enters the room where the disciples were hiding (v. 19b). A powerful, supernatural appearance. Jesus did not appear as a spirit, but in the body (v. 20). "Peace be with you!" Jesus repeats these words (v. 21). You do not need to fear; I AM HERE. Christ is our hope in moments of tension and fear. Peace is with us. The peace of Christ and the presence of the Spirit empower us as leaders to follow and carry out the Father’s will. It is the same peace Christ brought to the disciples, showing them that they could not complete the mission on their own, but they certainly could if they remained fully dependent on God.