In a Peanuts cartoon, Linus tells Charlie Brown, “When I hear those coyotes howling at night, it totally depresses me. I start to feel lonely … Then I get scared.”

Charlie Brown says, “I thought holding onto that blanket made you secure.”

Linus replies, “I think the warranty has run out.”

Isn’t that true for us? We fear life, we fear death, and everything in between. We are afraid of little things like a black cat crossing our path or spilled salt. Or, leaving our home at night lest we become a victim of crime. Or, the fear that floods our hearts as we wait for the doctor to
tell us if we have cancer. Or, the fear that startles us when the shrill sound of the telephone jolts us awake in the middle of the night.

The antidote to our fears is found in the coming of Christ into the world. The first words of Adam are “I was afraid.” But the first words at the birth of Jesus are, “Don’t be afraid.”

Ian Chapman, Don’t Be Afraid