Do Not Be Afraid

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged , for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious hand.” Isaiah 41:10

One of my family’s favorite Christmas movies is, “Home Alone.” We’ve seen it a dozen times, but we watch it every year and laugh like it’s the first time we have seen it. We watched it last week and found ourselves entertained as usual.

One of my favorite scenes takes place in a church. It’s Christmas Eve and a children’s choir is singing. Kevin knows that the two bad guys are coming to break into his house and possibly do him harm, but he has decided to fight and it’s as if he instinctively knows he needs to go spend some time in church first, to prepare for the fight.

While there, he runs into Marley, an old man he has been terrified of the entire movie. They talk, the old man and the child, and share some wisdom that each needs to hear. Marley tells Kevin he doesn’t need to be afraid of him, but Marley admits to Kevin that he is afraid to call his son because he doesn’t know how he will react. Kevin calls him out.

“No offense, aren’t you too old to be afraid?”

Marley replies, “You can be too old for a lot of things, but you’re never too old to be afraid.”

Kevin seems to accept that fact. They talk a few more minutes and Kevin heads home to defend his home and with Marley’s help, in the end, he comes away victorious.

Marley’s words in the church seem particularly pertinent this year. We are surrounded with so much uncertainty and fear; it’s almost palpable.

Yet, as people of faith we should note that the Christmas story reminds us at every turn that we are not to be afraid. In Luke 1:30, Gabriel tells Mary, “Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God.”

In Matthew 1:20, when Joseph is thinking of quietly divorcing Mary, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David , do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

Then in Luke2:8-11, we find the shepherds, minding their own business, watching their flocks and an angel appeared and they were terrified. “But the angel said to them. ‘Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Marley was right. We are never too old to be afraid, but the story of Christmas reminds us not to be. God is with us, so it is well. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂