Fearless Families: Building Brave Homes in an Uncertain WorldSample

Love: The Antidote to Fear

When it comes to life, love is our safety net.

Yes, we live in a world that requires courage, but courage is merely a byproduct of something greater. Brave people aren’t stronger than the rest of us; they just have safety nets that they can trust. They can demonstrate great courage because they know that if all else fails, their net of love will catch them.

So this is my task as a husband, father, and friend. My challenge is to love others so they will feel safe to risk, attempt, learn, try, fail, and try again. 

They don’t need my directions or commands nearly as much as they need my love. They don’t need my opinions or teachings half as much as they need to know that I am there, loving and supporting them. 

When they are secure in that love, they are free to push away from the platform and swing. They can twirl and flip. They can let go of the bar,  expecting they will be caught but knowing that even if everything goes wrong, I will still be there.

When I am not courageous, it’s not a sign that I’m a coward so much as an indication that I’m failing to embrace love. 

When those I care about fail to take a risk or grow, it doesn’t mean I should question their courage or push them to act bravely. It means I should make them more confident in my love for them. We all have the capacity for courage if we are sure there’s a net waiting to catch us should we fall.

Husbands, love your wives in such a way that they are willing to stretch themselves toward becoming who God made them to be. 

Wives, love your husbands so they can risk — in godly ways — vulnerability. 

Parents, love your children so they can venture from home with the security of knowing they always have a place where they can return. 

Teachers, love your students so they can be brave enough to process new information and consider new ideas.

Friends, love each other in hopes that you both will have the fortitude to explore unchartered territories. 

Employers, love your employees so they can have the courage to become the best they can be at what they do. 

Remember that love is defined by much more than how you feel about the other person. Love is a choice that expresses itself in an action. In fact, we must make the choice anew every day to love the other person through our actions. 

Without love, life is too risky. We have to play it safe and stick with what we know. But when love is present and persistent, we are free to experiment, attempt, fail, and succeed. We are empowered to reach out and love others. 

Life demands courage. 

Love is the net that enables courage to grow.