“Americans will never taste security and safety unless we feel security and safety in our land," said Osama bin Laden a few weeks ago in a video shown around the world. It is the purpose of terrorists to terrorize and it appears these criminals have succeeded in making Americans more fearful than ever before. Never again will we board a plane, open a letter, or enter a stadium with the kind of innocence we assumed before September 11th.

How will we learn to live with this kind of fear? To fear or not to fear. That is not the question. Only fools feel no fear. The question is: How can we use our present fears as a force for good? Fear can poison our lives with anxiety or begin a new wave of wisdom. I challenge you today, as Jesus challenged His disciples facing a cruel world so long ago, t…