Do we serve God, or do we serve mammon? Or is it power, pleasure, status? Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters," (let alone four) though in my experience most people have several they turn to. Who we serve becomes evident in situations close to home. Like on a Tuesday afternoon, when you're tired, scared, depressed, or angry, and the consequences of reaching for quick relief seem smaller, and more insignificant than the Bible makes them sound.

Jesus Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Fighting in the foxholes was not just about survival, but about protecting the lives of others. It was an act of love, courage, and duty.

In combat, soldiers often face split-second choices: fight, flee, or freeze. A friend of mine, Vietnam veteran (Navy Corpsman and later a SEAL) told me how some men froze in battle—staring blankly, dropping to the ground, or lying still as if invisible. He called it “hiding in plain sight,” it was as if they thought the danger couldn’t see them.  However, the bullets still found their mark.

A Vietnam vet once told me that when the bullets started flying, some men abandoned their posts, leaving their brothers to fight for themselves. A few of them were never seen again. Some met worse fates, because in combat, running almost never led to safety. It only left their fellow soldiers more vulnerable.

Fear and worry are emotional responses.  Fear is a response to an immediate or perceived threat.  It's usually intense and triggers the fight, flee, or freeze response.  Worry, on the other hand, usually involves repetitive thinking about potential future problems.  Their potential to become sin is often linked to how they affect one's relationship with God.