Fear does not mean to cower before God into a life of slavery, but to take Him and His commandments seriously. (At the same time, Christians are called to “be not afraid,” but that is a call to trust in Him in the face of suffering, pain, anxiety and death.) The Gibeonites and Amorites exemplify fear’s dichotomy. Both recognized Israel’s power and even sought self-preservation. But the former threw themselves at the mercy of Joshua saying, after admitting to their trickery, “And now that we are in your power, do with us what is good and right in your eyes.” They would have accepted punishment since that is what they deserved — but Joshua held to their covenant and even fought for them, risking his and Israel’s life.
How many times have we broken our oaths with God, but He mercifully welcomes us back through the Sacrament of Reconciliation? And how often does He continue to fight for us against the principalities of darkness, though we have fallen short of living His commandments?
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