Journal of Sacred Work

Live Love, not fear. – Erie Chapman

   My wife asked me recently whether I thought people understand this phrase when I say it. I heard myself tell her no. I think that’s because love is a word that falls from our lips so casually that we may have lost our understanding of its power. Do we really understand Jesus’ teaching? Do we really know a love free of fear?
   It seems that Love is partly understood in the context of fear. How much of life do we live afraid? How many of our decisions are motivated by fear?…

   Do we show up for work on time because we are afraid of being fired or
because we love our jobs? How much of each day do we spend afraid of
our supervisors? How much energy do we spend fearing we will make a mistake versus doing the right thing because we love giving the best care?
   Some level of fear seems unavoidable in our lives. In fact, our adrenal glands are designed to send a burst of their peculiar hormones through our blood the moment we feel threatened. So it is natural that some part of consciousness scans the environment for threats to our safety.
   Through spiritual training and life practice, we can learn to increase the presence of Love in our lives.  There is a difference between expanding Love and trying to control fear. Trying not to be afraid is a strange and difficult practice. It requires that we consciously think of fear and then try to suppress it. This approach is somewhat like the ridiculous ritual of failed diets in which we struggle not to eat rather than focusing on living healthy.
   Accordingly, the magic of Love is that by practicing it, fear naturally recedes. All you need do to imagine the personification of Love is to conjure up your image of caring or your image of Jesus. Do you sense any fear or trembling in any part of your picture of him?
   But this is all about theory. What is meaningful is to turn our everyday attention to the thought and practice of loving behaviors. As we practice Love, we learn that Love is not about congratulating ourselves for being Loving. For Love is its own reward. When we live Love, there is no room for fear.

-Erie Chapman