God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7). There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.” (1 John 4:18).

 
  As a small child I sat in church and wondered what God looked like. Similar to millions of kids, I assumed God must be some kind of giant possessed of every possible magic power. A friend of mine grew up thinking God was probably the Civil War general memorialized in a giant statue in the town square. When you don't have an answer, the temptation is to fill in the void with whatever images come to mind. In the case of kids, this can be very scary. It's  amazing how many adults still retain an image of God not dissimilar from Michelangelo's painting [detail – above]. As adults, I suppose it's time for us to put aside our childish impressions and begin to respect God as a great and loving energy.
   But children don't know about this. As a child, it was clear to me and the other little kids that God was all powerful and he had a temper. If I crossed up God I was pretty sure I would end up vaporized by the kinds of ray guns I saw on Flash Gordon.  

   Fear is a terrible thing. I know of no more toxic human feeling. Fear is the father of anger, anxiety, resentment and revenge. There is rarely anything good that comes from fear. Our primitive instinct to run when chased by something threatening is just that – a primitive instinct. The better angels of our nature urge us to act from Love to save life, not from fear.
   I suppose it's not surprising that early Jews, and many Christians, wanted to create a "hellfire and damnation" God. They were seeking to create order so that their civilization might flourish. Fear is the quickest, though not the best, way to bring the errant into line. But, careful reading of the entire Bible reflects a larger truth. I do not believe we are called to fear God. Instead, we are asked to treat God (Love) with respect – to to honor what Love offers us and asks of us.
   The truth is, fear is out of place in a culture of loving care. Enlightened members of all faiths understand that the highest human motivations come from Love and the worst are born from fear. The best leaders engage Love's energy and avoid fear tactics. This is the kind of environment that every caregiver seeks. Loving cultures always deliver the best patient care.
   The best reason for giving the right medications is because we love others and want to heal. The worst reason to give the right medication is because we are afraid for ourselves – that we will be punished by a supervisor or be sued by an injured patient.
   So what about fear? What do you think? Does fear have a place in healing environments?

-Erie Chapman