Tip of My Iceberg

He’s typically very animated and bubbly around people. He’s never at a loss for words, and his grins are contagious.

Seeing him onstage, however, had me wondering what happened to the four-year-old Nolan I know and love.

He and his preschool classmates were doing an end-of-the-year program, with singing and hand motions that were upbeat and fun to watch.

Most of them were fun to watch.

Nolan was uncharacteristically solemn. He was following the teacher’s lead, carefully mimicking her moves, singing with as much enthusiasm as a cat being made to swim.

Not very Nolan.

There were other children not thrilled to be there. One little guy had his back to the audience, singing to the wall. One little girl ignored the singing altogether and traced a poster that was on the back wall of the auditorium. Some just stood and stared at the audience.

There were those, however, who used massive arm motions, singing loud and proud. Most of the theatrical ones were the girls, which I’ve found to be typical for younger children. There was so much joy on some of their faces that it became comical to watch the different kids.

Public speaking has been a major fear for many people for quite some time, which encompasses another great fear, which is the fear of failure. No one likes to look foolish, but looking foolish publicly is the worst of both worlds. Those children who felt the awkwardness of the moment are the same as many of us who would have deep qualms about performing songs with hand motions in front of a crowd.

Fears and discomfort are part of being human. We each deal with it differently, like those kids on stage. Some are overt in their response, talking about their dissatisfaction with how things aren’t what they wanted or hoped for, sounding more like excuses than reasons. There are those who ignore the feelings, turning their backs on the discomfort.

Jesus understood the basics of fear. 366 times throughout the Bible, the phrase “Do not be afraid” is repeated. It’s the most frequently expressed command. God understands that fear of something always upends us.

How do you deal with fear? By focusing on truth and hope.

“This book of instruction (the Bible) must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9.

Choosing to focus on what’s true and hopeful can change our demeanor and dampen our fear. God knows that what fills our minds informs the narrative of our lives. What fills our thoughts defines how we view life. If we can focus on the truth of Jesus, who has freely offered us forgiveness, grace, and mercy which we can never earn on our own, our attitudes should improve.

What Nolan and his classmates experienced on stage for their end-of-year program is a microcosm of how we as adults experience life. We may or may not have “stage presence” when times become tough, but we don’t have to fear what we can’t change.

We can trust Jesus to be present when our presence is shaky.