When we see someone we care about make bad decisions, we can either confront them about it or hope someone else does. Many times we opt for the latter, under the guise of being kind, not wanting to interfere, or waiting for them to ask for our input. But we should ask ourselves: are we really being kind, or are we letting fear, discomfort, or indifference be the boss of us?

All of us walk through life with occasional fear. And it’s not always a bad thing. Fear is a byproduct of our ability to think about what might happen in the future, and it can protect us from harm. However, living with too much fear can cause us to be self-absorbed, distracted, and overly protective. But the good news is this: You don’t have to be afraid even when there’s something to be afraid of.

When we feel anger, our emotions tell us it’s 100 percent someone else’s fault. But James, the brother of Jesus, has something different to say. When we take a step back and acknowledge what the problem really is, anger will no longer be the boss of us.

Envy causes us to compare and compete with others in an unhealthy way. It brings arrogance when we’re winning and discouragement when we’re not. It robs us of contentment and causes us to feel like—as an ancient king put it—we’re chasing after the wind. But envy doesn’t have to be the boss.

When it comes to guilt, many of us naturally lean in one of two ways: we wallow in it by reliving the past, or we deny it by making excuses. In either instance, guilt is causing us to be out of balance. The apostle Paul reminds us that, because of Jesus, guilt is not the boss of us.

We all monitor our behavior to some degree. This keeps us out of trouble and helps us in our personal and professional relationships. But Jesus invites his followers to take monitoring a step further.

Fear can be powerful. And the fear of what other people think about us can be one of the most influential forces in our lives. But one small act of faith has the potential to break the hold fear has on our lives—if we just have the courage to take a step. If you're interested in learning more about baptism, visit decaturcity.org/baptism.

We all want to live life in the deep end—taking big risks and embracing adventure. But when things don't go as planned, the allure of the shallows is almost too much to resist. Will we go back to what's familiar, or dive deeper into the unknown?

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? How would your life change if you didn't let fear stand in your way? There's one decision that stands between us and the opportunity of a lifetime. Will we take the leap?

There’s something in life that’s worse than failure… and it’s standing between us and the life that we’ve always dreamed of.