Years ago a friend invited my family and others to go jet-skiing. On my turn, I picked up my oldest son, then four, and walked him out, setting him on the back of the wave-runner so I could hop on—he wouldn’t let go of me to save his life. I tried to educate him on jet-skiing and how much fun we’d have, to no avail. No matter how much I tried, he clung to me terrified of the machine and cried.
Like my son, many people fear something in life. A recent article about a British college student’s fear grabbed my attention. It seems, according to the UK Mirror, Hannah Matthews suffers from pounophobia—a fear of buttons. Matthews experiences panic attacks when near buttons and therefore wears only clothing with zippers.
“I know it’s irrational and I obviously know a button can’t hurt me but there’s just something about the shape and the texture that freaks me out,” she told The Mirror. The UK Mirror reported that the late Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers, also held a fear of buttons, hence his turtle neck shirts.1
Do you harbor any fears? Some people fear spiders, some God’s judgment, some fear water, while others fear commitment. There’s even a website designed listing unusual fears.
Stern Commands
As a child I feared the return of Christ mentioned in Revelation 1:7; 22:12. I envisioned God, the stern ruler, returning to punish those who didn’t step-in-toe with His stern commands.
As I grew and studied my Bible, I found that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, knocks, pleading with us for entry into our hearts. This is how He changed my life! Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door
My four-year-old son found comfort and safety clinging to me while he still feared the wave-runner. On the other hand I can cling to Christ without any fear or reservation because His own character will be my salvation. I have confessed my sins (1 John 1:9) and Jesus took them away from me (John 1:29)
