Be not afraid

Day 162: Jeremiah 1-4

I write today with a heavy heart. The girl that we have been praying for lost her legs today. I'm sad for her and her family, and I'm grieved over how life is going to be so different for her and her family. As I'm reading through the Bible right now, I'm reading through this lens of grief, pain, and suffering. I'm looking for comfort, for explanation, for understanding.

In addition to Jenny, another person is on my mind. This past week at Baylor, we found out who got tenure and who was denied tenure. Tenure is a huge thing for academics: if you get tenure, then you have job security and academic freedom; if you are denied tenure, then you lose your job. And I'm sad because a colleague of mine was denied tenure. This news is just crushing. If I put myself in her shoes, I see how I'm forced to give up a job I love, move away from family and friends, try to find another job, and make a new life for myself. This news is also scary and devastating, especially to those of us who are on the tenure-track and looking to get tenure ourselves.

I ran into this colleague today, and her demeanor surprised me. She was joyful, literally joyful. When I expressed my disappointment over the decision and offered her my empathy, her response surprised me. She said, "You know, it's just a job. This denial of tenure doesn't define me. It's just a job. I can find another job. What's important is your family, how you treat people, and the Lord." What a testimony of faith. She's right.

In the book of Jeremiah, the Lord calls Jeremiah by name and instructs him not to be afraid. The Lord also knows us. He knows Jenny Bizaillion. He knows my colleague. He knows me. And he knows you. He has called us all by name, and he instructs us not to be afraid. Fear not, for the Lord is with us.