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One iconic moment in the traditional Christmas story is when an angel appears to some shepherds. “Fear not!” the angel says. “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10).

The message echoes a passage from Isaiah, “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (41:13). And, it foreshadows advice given by Jesus to his disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27).

Sometimes it can be hard to heed the divine advice about avoiding fear and anxiety in light of the daily headlines. People have concerns about how governmental policy changes will affect their families. Warmongering, natural disasters, and ecological instability threaten food chains and the very air we breathe. Poverty leaves children hungry. Drugs destroy lives.

The existence of crisis isn’t new. It describes almost every moment of human history. In 1959 the Kingston Trio recorded “The Merry Minuet.” The song summarized the disasters of the day: rioting, starvation, hurricanes, drought, international suspicion, hate, and the threat of nuclear war. 

Apparently, not much has changed. In 2017, a viewer of the BBC program “The Last Leg” expressed angst about similar concerns. She requested that David Tennant, the actor who portrayed the tenth doctor in the long-standing Dr. Who series, offer some reassuring words.

Tennant took center stage and said, “It’s all going to be okay.” Then he paused and added an admonition, “But, it’s up to us to make it okay.” Tennant encouraged his listeners to speak up for what they believed in, look out for those who were less fortunate, and keep an eye out for potential abuses by those in power. He insisted that discourse be kept positive, that violence be set aside, and that people refuse to let anger win the day. (You can watch the clip on YouTube.)

‘We’re supposed to love our neighbors’

These sentiments seem aligned with the basic message that echoes through our lives at Christmas time. In greeting cards, seasonal music, and church services, we find ourselves reminded that we’re supposed to love our neighbors, pray for those who persecute us, be the salt of the earth, become the light that shines in the darkness, and go the extra mile.

The angel who announced, “Fear not!” explained that a child had been born. That child’s life and teaching illustrated principles that were often at odds with the religious and political authorities of his day. He dined with those who were outcast, he calmed storms. He said “Judge not.” He demanded that forgiveness be given. He cautioned against trusting in riches, and he flipped tables in the temple. 

Jesus no longer lives bodily among us. Instead, he has placed the physical work of making the world okay in our hands. 

There are many ways to put your hands to work locally. Here are just a few examples. You can volunteer for the FACES Food Pantry or Meals on Wheels program. You can support STEPS in their mission to help community members escape poverty and find self-sufficiency. You can work with Piedmont Habitat for Humanity or Better Days Farmville. You can support the Heart of Virginia Free Clinic.

You can work with a “Friends” program (such as Friends of Farmville Public Library, Friends of the Appomattox River, and Friends of High Bridge Trail State Park) to support important community services. You can serve as a master gardener or master naturalist and help bring attention to environmental concerns that will impact generations to come. You can work with churches, schools, and youth organizations to nurture and mentor young people. You can assist local governing agencies by volunteering for boards, committees, and commissions.

Agencies that focus on state-wide, national, and global worries need your help too. Whatever dark topics cloud your mind, groups of concerned people are probably already working to address them. 

Maybe the Christmas spirit can shine through

There are so many areas where hands are needed. One person can’t do it all, but if we join hands and do our part in the areas where we can each be most effective, maybe the Christmas spirit can shine through and dispel the fear. Perhaps everything will be okay. 

Karen Bellenir has been writing for The Farmville Herald since 2009. Her book, Happy to Be Here: A Transplant Takes Root in Farmville, Virginia features a compilation of her columns. It is available from PierPress.com. You can contact Karen at kbellenir@PierPress.com.