Rent and 1 john

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. [s]He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
- 1 John 4:18

Give in to love or live in fear.
- Rent

These have been the theme of the last few days. I've had some really good conversations with people I love this week, and again and again, these words kept coming to mind. Actually, I put the Rent quote up on my refrigerator with refrigerator letter magnets. In a conversation we had last night, my roommate Belloise just pointed to the quote again and again, because again and again, this was our problem - living in fear.

I remember one time in high school, there was a bomb threat, and I went to school not realizing that most people used that as an excuse to stay at home. What I remember, and I'm not sure why, is that Sarah was there. Whenever someone would ask her why she came, she'd say, "My dad says you can't live a life of fear."

Though I don't really think that skipping school that day had anything to do with fear for most people, I still remember that. What's a life of fear look like?

Unfortunately, I think the answer is a life of fear looks like everyone else's.

Fear is such a reasonable response to the world. The worst case scenario is pretty bad. Having no money is a big deal, and you're very right to want to avoid it. Being alone is a pretty harsh reality for a lot of people, so why not you? So, reasonably, we settle again and again. We never tell that person we love them, because they might not return the feeling. We don't go on that trip, pursue that dream, take that risk, because it could backfire. And it could. People qualify this, of course, but the truth is that "there's a fine line between hero story and cautionary tale." (Todd Cantelon) So the life of fear, I believe, is one of mediocrity.

What shall we do then?

We give in.

How? I'm not sure yet. I'm still trying to figure it out.

"If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question."
- Lili Tomlin



I meant this to be inspirational, but I got lost. It doesn't really make sense.
Maybe that's the point. The first quotes seem to imply that love and fear are opposites, so if fear seems reasonable, maybe love shouldn't seem that way.

I know. It's a bit of a handwaving argument.
Either way, be inspired, friends! Something beats fear!