Jesus knows that the challenges a disciple of the Gospel will face in the world are real. He tells all of us point blank, “Do not be afraid.” There are many things we can fear as we attempt to live the Gospel: unpopularity, being rebuked, rejection, anger, being challenged, having to defend ourselves, standing alone, insecurity, failure, and even death. Many folks know that their faith calls them to live life more deliberately and radically but are cowards when it comes to putting it into practice. We easily justify sticking with the “acceptable” norms with which we are accustomed. These only serve to keep us stuck and mired in mediocrity. The Gospel — given flesh by the very presence of Christ — seeks to stretch, challenge, and change us. We do not have to fear anything, even death. Sometimes, living with our fears brings us a sadly disordered sense of comfort. Maybe what we really fear above all else is change.