When Herod was troubled, all Jerusalem was troubled with him. The whole city shook when Herod shook. But why would the people of Jerusalem be troubled by news of the Messiah’s birth? Should they not have been excited? They had been waiting for this moment for centuries!
The answer lies in the question they were asking. They were not asking, “What is true?” They were asking, “Could this somehow lead to my harm?” That is the question of fear. They calculated the cost. They thought, “If this baby really is the Messiah, and Herod finds out, there is going to be bloodshed. We might get caught in the crossfire.” So fear paralyzed them from proper action.
Fear is a powerful thing. People often know what is right. They know what God is calling them to do. But they are afraid of what might happen if they actually do it. What if my spouse leaves me? What if I lose my job? What if my friends reject me? And so they remain frozen, more concerned about self-preservation than obedience to God.
When fear governs our hearts instead of faith, everything gets twisted. The people of Jerusalem should have been worshipping. Instead, they were trembling. They asked, “What can go wrong?” They failed to ask, “What is right?”
Peter writes, “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled.” Fear must not govern our decisions. Truth must guide us. What truth do you know that fear has kept you from acting upon?