A Foolish Kind of "Fearlessness"

“Without fear there are no heroes, only fools. Never stop being afraid.” This was said by one young man to another in a hazardous and dramatic scene.

The word “fear” has some unfortunate connotations, but substitute for “fear” the word “caution” or “wisdom” or “judgment,” and this could be a valuable sentence to remember.

If we had no fear of anything — fear in a particular sense — we likely would not live very long, and surely not healthfully or happily or safely. If we were not “afraid” of an oncoming train, we likely would not trouble ourselves to get off the track. If we were not “afraid” of being killed by a car, we would pay little attention to the rules of the road. If we were not “afraid” of poor health, we probably would not bother about the laws of good health. If we were not “afraid” of disease or epidemics, we likely would not bother with sanitation or inoculation.

In this we do not mean fear in the cringing sense, but “fear” in the sense of respect for forces and facts, for causes and consequences — fear in the sense of being wise and prudent, with common sense and consideration for preparedness, courage and a quiet conscience.

Courage is one thing, but brashness is quite another, and whether we call it fear or judgment or something else, he who refuses to face facts, to observe law, to respect experience, to keep the commandments, learns the hard and often heartbreaking way, with loss of health or of life, or with an unquiet conscience, an uneasiness inside himself which might have been avoided by respecting the experience of others, which is part of the heritage we have.

After all, the commandments come from a loving Father who knows the causes and the consequences of misery and happiness, and whose purpose is to lead us to everlasting peace and progress. And while courage is commendable, there is a kind of “fearlessness” that is completely foolhardy.

We should fear sin; we should fear evil; we should have respect for facts, with an understanding of cause and consequence, and with a thoughtful, prayerful living of our lives.

“Without fear [respect, caution, wisdom] there are no heroes, only fools.”