Shark bites or dog bites? Burglaries or identity theft? Americans killed by terrorists or Americans who die from seasonal flu?
As Newsweek reports in its “Back Story” of the May 24 & 31, 2010 issue, “. . . much of what we worry about today is based on hype rather than reality.”
The same Newsweek edition notes that while 28 Americans suffered shark attacks last year, 4.5 million suffered dog bites!
2.2 million burglaries occurred in 2007, while 8.3 million people had their identity stolen in 2005!
In 2008, 33 Americans were killed by terrorist attacks around the world, while 36,171 died from seasonal flu!
Perhaps our concerns in this world are often misplaced; so, too, in the realm of the spiritual.
The statistics above demonstrate that we often dread extraordinary things while the ordinary destroys and kills. We become accustomed to exalting hype. We forget to pay attention to the seemingly mundane . . . until the seemingly mundane proves its exceptional nature by actually giving us something with which we must reckon. We may fear a terrorist while the flu kills us.
Speaking of fear, I am quite concerned that we Christians have misplaced apprehension. We are so busy worrying we might not have or accomplish what culture expects of us; all the while, we are losing the battle with the powers of darkness. For the Christian, the real and daily battle is in the world of the spirit.
We all know Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” But do we realize that while we are busy worrying about how our houses and cars compare to the neighbors’ possessions, demons of hell are tearing our souls apart at the core because we don’t perceive the danger of refusing to pray incessantly?
Do we shun the social stigma of not keeping up with the latest prime time television shows more than we care about the dark authorities and powers who have made it their aim to destroy our wholehearted devotion to Jesus and our determination to study His Word?
While most fear cultural hype, we ought to have a healthy respect for the spiritual battle taking place each moment that we live!
Only a fool would fear shark bites more than dog bites as he walks through his neighborhood each day.
And only foolish Christians would fear the death of worldly aspirations more than the death of our faith.
God, please help us discern the real battle.