In an age when so many people (especially young people) live in fear of climate disaster, and all the news we get is negative about the future, I think it's important to have some realism about what's actually happening. We need a better historical perspective. Here Bjorn Lomborg shows us the life is actually safer from natural disasters that it used to be. The physical parts of life used to be much harder and much more dangerous for most people. We especially in the west live in much safer times, but we probably live in more fear than people in the past did.
As I heard one Pastor put it recently, we have an idol of safety. We want to feel safe in all circumstances, and we magnify every danger if it makes us feel unsafe, even if we are actually physically much safer than we used to be. I'm convinced it's a control issue. We want the illusion of having control of all the parts of our lives, but we can't, because we aren't God.
But there are several problems with focusing on eliminating danger and staying safe as an ultimate goal. One is that we live in fear instead of a life of faith and trusting God with our future. Second because we don't want to fail and we don't take the risks necessary to accomplish bigger things. This is not just in physical areas, but also relational and emotional risks.
This is why identity in Christ is so important. If you know that you are loved by your creator and that your eternity is secure, then you can live without fear.
Fear can motivate people to action, but it's a horrible way to live. If instead you can live in the safety a God's love, then you can still respond to challenges and not be crippled by your fear of what might happen.
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