was almost an Andy Griffith scene ). After they had gained access to the building across the alley, a sheriff's deputy arrived and the inspector had more than enough back up, especially since the suspect was finally able to convince everybody that he was just an itinerant art dealer and not on the 10 most wanted list. He looked like him ( the fugitive ) and was selling what he was expected to sell, but was the wrong man. The inspector apologized to him and the mayor ended up buying $300.00 worth of his wares that she probably wouldn't have bought under different circumstances. Two hours after the dust had settled I had to tell the FBI agents, who knocked at my door, what had happened. What was different between the two experiences, Korea and the suspected fugitive? Had I become less fearful just by growing older? Had my sense of duty become greater? I think not. The latter incident was just as fear producing as the previous, even though the situation wasn't in fact as it appeared to be. If those reasons were an answer, then those reasons would be universal answers in overcoming fear. But some people never seem to improve their fear quotient. The only thing truly different was the fact, that though I was a Christian during both periods, I had studied the Bible much more extensively by the time I was a Postmaster. I was also a deacon in my church, and was extremely involved in the Lord's work. Rarely a day passed that I wasn't at the church at some time during the day. Because of this, I was less self centered, my thoughts were ordered more to things of the Lord. It has occurred to me that we can measure our spiritual health in the same way we measure our physical health. That is check our spiritual vital signs. One of the physical vital signs is temperature. I feel one of the spiritual vital signs is also temperature. By that I mean a reading of the temperature, not on the F, C, or K temperature scales but on the I scale. If our 'I' temperature is too high we are quenching the Holy Spirit and not allowing Him room to work. We will always experience fear until we are taken up to be with the Lord, but fear's control of our lives is directly 185 ______________________________________________________________________________ proportional to our reading on the 'I' scale. The 'I' scale reading measures how much our thoughts are on ourselves as opposed to how much our thoughts are on the Lord. The more self centered we are, the higher on the scale is our 'I' temperature, and the more devastating our fears. You say I'm really reaching on this one? Check it out for yourself. There is citation after citation in both the Old and New Testaments showing us, that, as the people placed the Lord on the back burner of their thoughts, their 'I' temperature reading increased, and their fear increased to control them. In the New Testament the Lord labled it more as a lack of faith. Peter when he began to sink in the water was afraid, and the Lord told him he didn't have enough faith. Consider Matthew 14:24-31, "But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boistrous, he was afraid and began to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?". It doesn't say Peter sank immediately. It says that when he took his thoughts off of Jesus in favor of his own welfare he began to sink. So it seems the lower on the 'I' scale the higher on the 'faith scale'; after you are saved of course. Of added interest is the citation as to the timing of the Lord's response to our cries for help. The Lord immediately stretched forth his hand, not, in a little bit, but immediately! You shouldn't have difficulty finding similar scriptures in the Old Testament, so I'll leave it up to you to find them.. 186 ________________________________________________________________________________ |
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