Perfect Love and the Heebie Jeebies

On Tuesday nights two of our students, Nasreen and Jung Min, come to my house for prayer time. We've been praying for world events and for different countries and their leaders. Tonight, I was reading 1 John 4 while praying for the Middle East. Two verses stood out to me. "Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God." and "Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear." As I prayed for the people of Iran, the beauty and power of love struck my heart in a sweet way. The media seems to thrive on fear, and the politicians seem to use it as a tool, but God's perfect love "expels all fear."

Then it was time to say goodnight. As the students were leaving, I felt the distinct tickle of a roach scurrying across my toe. I immediately began hopping and exclaiming, "ewww, gross, yuck," etc. Nasreen was quick to come to my rescue. She picked the bug up out of the cranny it had crept into, placed it on the floor in front of her, and squashed it with her shoe. "You touched it?" I asked, flabbergasted. "It's okay," she said, rolling her eyes, "Where I grew up, cockroaches are a delacacy."

10 minutes later...in the shower...washing my foot for the 12th time...I began sheepishly asking God, "Can perfect love drive out the heebie jeebies, too?"