.fear and love.

I was taught by a friend in class today that in Western culture, good is the opposite of evil. That's how we live life and, as a part of that, our religious beliefs. We think in these terms, label people/places/things in these terms, categorize in these terms.

However, in the Asian/Pacific Islander culture(s) they hold a different dichotomy to be true. They believe that love is the opposite of fear. So we made a list of our fears... and then a list of things that come to mind when we think of love. Then my friend said this...

"The things I'm afraid of are the things I haven't learned to love yet." 

Naming our fears gives us the ability to get rid of them and I think naming them gives us the ability to love them (in)to life/death. In this process of wrestling with them and ultimately loving them, we are opened up to the grace of God. Calling out our fears helps us realize that there really isn't that much to be afraid of because there's a lot more love where they came from.

And with the season of Advent upon us, I leave this:

"The light shines in the darkness but the darkness did not overcome it." (john 1:5)