People do many amazingly difficult to understand things and sometimes very hurtful deeds all because of fear. Fear drives people to mistreat others, to speak harshly to others and damage relationships that should have been nurtured. The cause of Jesus Christ calls all believers to cast out fear and remove it from our thinking as we plunge into the community to help others less fortunate. The problem is, though, that fear keeps finding a foot hold whenever we challenge people to love others and to make sacrifices in their personal life in order to love others like Jesus asked us to. Fear destroys trust, love and sacrifice and clearly keeps us from obeying the great commandments that Jesus talked about, i.e. loving God and loving others as yourself. The tiny cottage village project has truly brought to focus this battle between trust in God and fear. We believe that perfect love casts out fear. (I John 4:18) As we move forward with the decisions that must me made to build the village for homeless people many in our community will respond with fear and and anger. Many others will plunge head first into a walk of faith that believes it is the right thing to do. 

   On Thursday evening of this week, June 21st, several Ekklesia members attended a community meeting that was intended to begin a conversation with many of the neighborhood residents who lived near the Port Orchard Church of Christ where the tiny cottage village is under consideration. No decision has been made by the church but the neighborhood has many who oppose such a village and fear the increase of criminal activity along with the reduction of their property values. The crowd on Thursday night was very unsettled and many were not interested in hearing the plan for the village. It is difficult to know all the reasons for their deep anger but as people of faith we were there to be the voice of understanding, peace and truth. In my life it was one of the most heated meetings I have ever attended as was for many of the county officials. It reminded me of the opposition that Nehemiah must have confronted as he attempted to combat the resistance and anger of the surrounding people as he began rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. For people of faith, the evening was difficult but a reminder of the faith walk we must take as we follow the sacrificial life and mission of Jesus. 

   Let us all walk by faith knowing that there is only one kind of fear we should have, the fear of God that produces the fruit of a righteous life. I pray for a world unwilling to love and take risks to do the right thing for others. We must step out in boldness like the early disciples of Jesus who counted it a blessing to endure the hardships thrown at them by people who feared their new faith in a risen Lord.