Laughing at Fear

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4:18

Many people are afraid right now and I think that's understandable.  There's a lot of uncertainty.  Some of you are afraid of getting sick, some are afraid of losing jobs and others are afraid of government overreach.  But my response to the fear it to laugh.  Its why I post memes.  Memeing during the pandemic is in some small way a gospel proclamation. 

We laugh at what we are supposed to fear, because in Christ those things that we fear are defeated and so we mock them.  Yeah...  We might die.  We might lose jobs.  We might lose rights.  But do not fear those temporal things.  Instead fear God.  At least that's what Jesus says to do. 

Then we come to John's 1st epistle and we wonder, "What's he talking about?  Jesus told us to fear God.  Didn't he?"  Yes...  but these two passages aren't in conflict with one another.  Jesus' point is that those things aren't actually scary.  God is!  But John's point is that for us, "who have been perfected in love" have nothing to fear from God because God is love and He cast's out fear. 

So we laugh because in Christ those things that are supposed to be scary aren't.  Love casts out fear.  So fear not!  Be not afraid!  Laugh!  Jesus has won!