Fear immediately puts us on the defensive. We’re suspicious. We mistrust. We attempt to put ourselves in an advantageous position. We marginalize, We malign. Fear of others always results in violence toward others. And fear coupled with power makes an explosive cocktail. Pharaoh (Exodus 1:8ff) is afraid–afraid of too many foreigners who may or may not remain loyal to Egypt and afraid of losing his lifestyle and power. His fear–coupled with his power–results in oppressive public policy–enslavement, harsh working conditions, and ultimately infanticide. While I don’t have the power to make public policy, I always have an opinion. What policies do I support? Not support? And how do my own fears of change and loss inform my opinions? And who am I willing to violate to make sure I keep what I have?
Day 7
Tongue on Fire 
I have been contemplating what violence really entails in recent days; does it need to be physical? Can violence be something subconscious and can I attempt to be more aware of it. This post reminds me of when I am most violent, in my car. Living in Indianapolis, I drive every day to and from work and my mistrust of others makes me prone to road rage; an unhealthy side effect of Chicago driving. Unlike Pharaoh, I will not resort to extreme measures such as infanticide to make my way clear on my daily commute (although I am unsure how that would help in my situation). However, what I must trust is that God will clear my path, both physically and metaphorically, and get me to where I need to be without harm.
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