First-Time Fear

Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1, 13-14

Natalia flopped down on her favorite beanbag chair. She started chewing on her fingernails, and her mother noticed. “Worried about something?” Mom asked.

Natalia looked down at her hands and sighed. “I have a friend at school—Tess—who’s going through a hard time right now. Her parents just got divorced, and her dad moved to a different city. I can tell she’s really upset.”

Mom sat down. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Natalia nodded. “I feel like I should tell her Jesus loves her and invite her to come to church, but I’m scared she’ll think I’m weird and not want to be friends with me anymore.”

Mom thought for a moment. “It’s hard to talk to a friend about Jesus for the first time. In fact, I still feel that way every time I feel like He wants me to tell someone about Him.”

“You do?” Natalia was shocked. “But you talk to people about Jesus a lot!”

“And every time I do, I have to ask Him for courage,” Mom said. Suddenly she laughed. “Makes me think of a story my grandma told me once. When Grandma was a child, the very first escalator for the shopping center in her small town was being installed. She was all excited about it, and on the day it was ready to be used, Grandma couldn’t wait to ride it. But her mother was too scared to get on and wouldn’t let Grandma get on either. They watched for a while, and after seeing other people reach the top, her mother finally said they could try it.” Mom smiled. “So you see, you and I aren’t the only ones scared of doing something for the first time. In fact, most people are nervous about doing new things.”

“Even you,” Natalia said. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll talk to Tess tomorrow.”

“Good,” said Mom. “Trust Jesus to give you the courage you need. Tess is probably feeling very sad and afraid right now, and God probably wants to use you to help her.”

Mom stood and held out a hand to help Natalia up. “And if you ask me, having the courage to tell a friend about Jesus is way more important than being brave enough to try an escalator for the first time!” – Kimberly R. Thigpen

How About You?

Are you afraid to talk to your friends about Jesus or invite them to church? It’s normal to be scared the first time you try something new, but don’t let fear stop you from doing something you feel God wants you to do. He may want to use you to help a friend know He loves them. Ask Him for courage, then give it a try. With His help, you may find it easier than you think!

Today’s Key Verse:
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you…I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus gives us courage