A man was walking down a country road. As he did so, he saw that in the distance the road made a sharp turn to the left. He reasoned that he could cut across the field on the left and save himself a lot of distance and time. As he prepared to climb the fence into the field, he saw a sign in the field that had been posted for persons like him. The sign read: “Do not cross this field unless you can do the 100-yard dash in 10.3 seconds or less. The bull can do it in 10.4.”
I thought of that story when I read the account and saw the video of Cristian Hernandez. Hernandez shared the dream of many boys in Mexico. He wanted to be a matador. In Mexican culture, the matador is the symbol of courage and strength. Hernandez got his career off to a shaky start. He was gored by a bull and had to be out of the ring for several months. After being out of action for this period of time, Hernandez returned to the ring on June 15 in Mexico City. I say that he returned to the ring, but he returned only briefly. He stood in the middle of the ring with his red cape. The powerful bull advanced and charged the cape, missing Hernandez by only a few inches. This was more than Hernandez could take. He dropped the cape and went sprinting for the wall. He jumped over the wall to safety amid the catcalls and whistles of the disparaging crowd.
Promoters of the match reminded Hernandez that he had signed a contract to fight the bull and that he had to return to the ring. Hernandez, appearing pale and shaken, returned to the ring briefly. He raised his hands toward the sky and then walked away from the ring and his future as a bullfighter. Interviewed later, he said, “I didn’t have the ability or the courage. This is not my thing.” Fear is a powerful force.
There’s an old story about a new recruit who was eager to know what he could expect at a school for paratroopers. The recruiter noted that it was a three-week process. He said, “The first week we separate the men from the boys. The second week we separate the men from the fools.” When he paused, the enthusiastic enlistee asked, “And what happens the third week?” The recruiter said, “The fools jump.”
Fears of bullfighting and parachuting are two things that do not concern me much. The reason is that they do not appear on the radar screen of my life. My problem is with fears that are a lot closer to home. My fears are about things like whether I can meet my financial obligations, the safety and security of my family, and whether I can measure up to expectations.
Two things are helpful in dealing with our fears. They are love and faith. John said that perfect love casts out fear. The psalmist said that when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we should fear no evil because of the powerful, comforting presence of God.
Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.
Really enjoyed the article! :)