By Aaron Sholders

Have you been perfected in love? No really, I want you to seriously consider this question: "Have you been perfected in love?" If you have been perfected in love then you would know it, for you would be without fear (1 John 4:18). As I considered the topic of this month's issue of comanionship I realized that what I had to offer was a description of the very thing that prevents me from being the man God made me to be, namely fear, in particular the fear of man.

Galatians 1:10 along with James 4:4 state very plainly that a man that is seeking the approval of men, cannot at the same time be serving God. I therefore have found myself in a dilemma. The man that God has made me to be can only be fully realized in the security of His love with zero regard of other's opinions, and yet what do I find in myself? That's right, a great deal of concern regarding other's opinions of me and my actions, (AKA the fear of man.)

As I have considered this fear, it has become quite obvious to me that it has its roots in pride. CS Lewis defined pride as the motivation to be better than someone else. Naturally, seeking man's approval comes from this exact motivation; "Hey, look at me I am pleasing for such and such, more than so and so." As a result of this indwelling pride, my actions, throughout life, have not been done out of the security of acceptance, but rather done in an attempt to gain that acceptance. What this means is that, more often than not, my life is not subject to obedience to Christ but rather, obedience to this fear. As such, my actions have been constantly dictated by the thought "I wonder what they will think if…" Of course at times this means that I must bury my convictions, my strengths and my gifts in exchange for something that I perceive would make others happy. This is the problem with fear, especially the fear of man. It necessarily leads to the abdication of the identity that God has given you.

Ahh, but thanks be to God there is a solution to this fear, there is a battle to fight and let me tell you the battle is being won in my life. So what then is the solution to this problem? It is unavoidably the recognition and acceptance of the Love of our God and Father. Paul in Romans 8:15-17 tells us that we have not received a spirit of bondage leading to fear but rather a Spirit of adoption. Yes, we are adopted by God and as such are the heirs, along with Jesus our Lord and Savior, of His Kingdom! This is our destiny, this is our call and this is our identity. From this acceptance and from this Spirit I am to operate in the fullness of who God has made me to be: for His Kingdom, for His Glory from His creative power in me and the man He made me to be! Yes it takes courage, yes it takes risk but becoming the men that we were designed to be is well worth it. So I ask again, have you been perfected in Love?