Matthew 25:14-30
Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor, that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower, and you, its only seed
It’s the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance
It’s the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live
The Rose. The words are by Amanda Mcbroom, but most of us know it as a song sung by Bette Midler. That song has come to my mind as I have sat with the Gospel this week. If it’s true that the parables of Jesus act as spiritual hand grenades, then this one today packs a lot of explosive power. And what jumps out at me is that third slave who says, I was afraid — afraid of his master, afraid of taking any chances, afraid of screwing up, afraid of failure, or who knows, maybe afraid of success. But fear is what drives him, and the results are terrible. Now we can get all bent out of shape and say what a mean master he has and that God would never do such a thing, but we’d be barking up the wrong tree. This is not an allegory or a theology lesson: it’s a parable, a story meant to shake us up. This third slave lives in fear, and it doesn’t make his life better: it just results in more fear, until at the end he finds himself in the outer darkness, weeping and gnashing his teeth.
The parable hits hard in part because it is so easy for us to live in fear. And nothing is so crippling as living in fear. I’ve experienced it in my own life, and I’ve witnessed it in the lives of others. I’ve seen people paralyzed by their fear of what others might think of them if they speak their mind or live out their core beliefs. Fear of those who are different than we are runs rampant in our society. Lots of people are afraid of change. I’ve known people who would not let themselves get close to others because they were terrified they might get hurt. And while there are times when fear is understandable and even justified, living in fear on a regular basis inevitably diminishes us. Fear breeds more fear, and leads only to isolation and despair.
It’s the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance
It’s the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live
The Bible tells us over and over again not to be afraid, but the simple commandment, “Do not fear!” won’t suffice. The Bible also offers a remedy. And the remedy for fear is not steely resolve or blind faith or sheer recklessness. There is only one antidote to fear, and that is love. The First Letter of John puts it like this, God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them . . . There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. (1 John 4:16b, 18).
I know this is true. It’s when I feel most loved, when I am most aware of God’s love and the love of people around me, that I am most courageous. When I am filled with love, I am fearless. It’s when I feel isolated, cut off from God or from the people closest to me that I feel most afraid. And because that’s the case, when I do feel afraid, I know the answer is not to try to gear myself up to be brave — that doesn’t work. What works is to allow myself to be in God’s presence and to remember the love of God that continually surrounds me and fills me, as it surrounds and fills all of us. For as Paul says, God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Rom. 5:5). This is not academic theology: this is practical wisdom for living. Love and love alone sets us free: fear constricts and binds us, but love is what lets our spirits grow and our hearts expand. Loving doesn’t mean bad things will never happen. Loving means we will not live in fear.
Think of what you are most afraid of today. Consider how it holds you back or even cripples you. You can give into the fear, bury yourself, and refuse to take any chances, but there is another way: ask to know the love of God right in the midst of that fear. And I mean ask for it and look for it. If you have experienced the love of God before, remind yourself of what that feels like. And if you have never in your life known God’s love, be open enough to experience it. You might try repeating verses like “”God’s love has been poured into our hearts” or imagining Jesus saying to you, “I love you” or just keep praying, “God, I am open to your love,” If we open up even a tiny amount, and if we seek even a little bit, the Holy Spirit will find a way to touch us with love — and begin to set us free from fear and set us free to live.
Do you remember how the song ends? It goes like this:
When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose
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