When did we become so afraid of looking foolish?
Children don’t seem to worry about it.
They sing when they feel like singing.
Dance when they feel like dancing.
Ask questions without wondering if they’re the wrong ones.
They aren’t constantly calculating how they’ll be perceived.
But somewhere along the way, many of us start doing exactly that.
We become careful.
Measured.
Concerned with getting things right.
And while some of that comes with maturity,
I wonder if some of it comes from fear.
Fear of failing.
Fear of being misunderstood.
Fear of trying something and discovering we’re not immediately good at it.
The truth is,
most things worth doing require us to look a little foolish first.
The beginner looks foolish.
The learner looks foolish.
The person stepping into something new looks foolish.
But they also grow.
And sometimes I wonder how many opportunities we’ve missed
because we wanted certainty before we were willing to begin.
Maybe courage isn’t the absence of embarrassment.
Maybe courage is being willing to look a little foolish
in pursuit of something meaningful.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
Where I Found My Voice 
This was very good…and very needed by me and as you mentioned needed by a lot of us or even most of us. I second guess myself all the time! I recall things I say to others or perhaps even do and regret even my best intentions instead of telling myself the “others” probably didn’t even think twice about my perceived faux pas, much less take lasting offense to it. So thank you for reminding me/us of that perfect scripture! What the Lord asks us to do is always for our own benefit or the benefit of others, and if we only remembered to obey His words it would save us a lot of grief. Thank you, my Sweet! Love you both dearly!
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