I can only imagine that in the Garden of Eden, before sin, that all creation lived in harmony. Really now, think about this, can you imagine Adam running from a roaring lion screaming for help? No, because there was harmony.

This was my thought yesterday morning as I went for my run. I found myself running right toward a squirrel, and that isn’t so uncommon, however what the squirrel did was. This little guy was running towards me, and as the yards between us started to close in I thought surely this squirrel will run ‘from’ me, but he didn’t. In fact this cute little fury friend literally stopped about a foot in-front of me, moved to the side and sat till I passed him. This may not be so uncommon for other people (like my daughter in law) but it is for me.

As I continued on my run I asked God what he wanted to me to know about that odd experience and this is what I believe He wanted me to know; Georgia, all creation has be created by me and at times you are limited by your perceived fear.

Recalling the slight fear I had as this little squirrel started to get closer to me that he was going to bite me, I had to laugh and say; you’re right Lord.

Though as I thought this over more in my mind and I was reminded of when I was overwhelmed with fear when a ‘person’ stood in front of me. It was a few years back when I was working at an orthopedic office, when an unusual young man stood in front of me. He had demonic images tattooed over his body and harsh words tattooed on his hands for others to read, he also piercings that I have no clue how was done (long studs like horns implanted on his upper forehead) to give a very frightening appearance. In those moments of interacting with him I could feel a heaviness press against me, which created more fear. I was totally aware of where this person was in the office, to the point that I looked up at the glass door seconds before he walked by. That is when I recalled this scripture; the One who is in you is greater than the one in the world (1 John 4:4), and this gave me comfort.

The next time this young man came in the office I was determined not to allow my fear to treat him any differently than I would any other patient that walked into the office. In fact as I treated him as a person, one who God has created, I could sense his protective walls come down. Over the weeks of his care, we had talked about his family and he even showed me pictures of his beautiful children, it was truly a good experience.

What would have happened if I allowed my ‘perceived fear’ limit my ability to love this person as Christ loves?

I guess I say all of this as a reminder to me (and to you) that we must not allow our fear to limit us to respond with love to others. We do not know the tormenting spirit that makes people be puppets in the hands of the puppeteer (Satan). When we read about the life of Jesus we know that He always responded to the ‘person’ in love and reacted to the ‘spirit’ with authority.

Bottom line: Love as we have been loved.