Jonathan is completing some college course work while he takes his last two high school classes. He is enrolled at the local community college, where, occasionally, he meets up with a professor with identity problems. Wishing she were at a larger school and dealing with true scientists, this particular teacher did not start the school semester off well. In fact, I was ready to remove her from her position, but have managed to hold back.
On the first day of classes, she asked the students to introduce themselves and to state their degree intentions. My sixteen-year-old son admitted that he would like to get a degree in Communications. She responded by telling him to get out of the class. This has been verified by another student.
After Jonathan continued that he is a "Dual-Enrollment Student," she brushed him off with, "Oh, Dual-Enrollment kids are good." But the damage had already been done. He spent the next week unable to sleep, restlessly thinking of nothing but failure. His stomach was tied in knots, and food was not his friend. Without knowing what she had done, this professor had instilled a fear of her and her class and a lack of fondness for her field.
A woman I know from another culture and religious denomination knows fear in the book of Revelation. Her minister taught from the book when she was young, and the fear that invaded her childish mind hasn't let go yet. She refuses to read her Bible because of the scare tactics that were used against her so many years ago. The man who spoke so harshly of God certainly (hopefully?) did not know what he was doing.
Fear makes us useless. We become unable to function, to do what needs to be done. But even more than that, fear drives out the joy and passion that are meant to be a part of our lives. Instead of learning about the beauty of creation and its intricacies, a student is left feeling inept and a failure before the lessons even begin. Instead of reading about a relationship of love and acceptance, a child of God is relegated to a lifetime fear of retribution.
I remember a childhood church song: "Oh be careful little mouth what you say, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little mouth what you say." Often this verse is meant to teach youngsters to keep their tongues pure and holy, clean of sinful talk and filth. But just as importantly, it needs to remnd us that we have great power in our mouths, power to destroy, power to permanently damage. Oh do be careful little mouth what you say!
