The last two years have delivered an abundance of fear. One quick look at the news or scroll through social media and you’ll be quickly reminded of the difficult times we live in and the dozens of reasons we should be afraid.

Furthermore, many political leaders have masterfully crafted their messages to increase fear and create division in the country. As author and pastor Andy Stanley observed, “Fear entices us to place our faith in the person, party, or platform that promises to protect us from whatever they’ve convinced us we should fear.”

But leaders need to take a higher road. Rather than perpetuating fear, our job is to respond to people’s fear in a way that offers comfort, hope, and a meaningful way forward. That can happen when we offer four gifts to the people we lead during fearful times.

Empathy

Jesus was remarkably empathetic toward people. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Because Jesus was empathetic, He attracted people who were hurting, broken, and even bound in sin.

When people are afraid, the last thing they need is a leader who makes them feel guilty for being afraid. Shame does not cure fear. The fears of the people you lead may seem minor to you, but they’re major to them. That’s their reality, and you won’t be able to lead them out of their fears if you can’t first empathize with them.

As author James Hunter observes, empathy often begins with active listening. He writes, “Active listening requires a disciplined effort to silence all that internal conversation while we’re attempting to listen to another human being. It requires a sacrifice, an extension of ourselves, to block out the noise and truly enter another person’s world – even for a few minutes. Active listening is attempting to see things as the speaker sees them and attempting to feel things as the speaker feels them. This identification with the speaker is referred to as empathy and requires a great deal of effort.” 

Assurance

When Jesus walked on water toward his disciples during a violent storm, He told them, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here!” (Matthew 14:27, NLT). Jesus was providing his disciples with assurance in the middle of the storm.

When people are afraid, the last thing they need is a leader who makes them feel guilty for being afraid.

The reason they didn’t have to be afraid wasn’t because their fears were unwarranted or unrealistic. Their physical eyes could “see” the fear as waves battered the boat. Instead, they didn’t have to be afraid because Jesus was with them. He said, “I am here!”

When people are afraid, one of the best things we can do as leaders is be a calming presence and speak comforting words. Sometimes this is hard because the very things causing fear in others may be causing fear in us. But if we can keep a cool head, a soft heart, a strong spirit, and speak comforting words, we can offer an assurance to the people we lead when everything around them is chaotic.

Clarity

One of the challenges in chaotic circumstances is the inability to see clearly what to do. That’s why so many people are paralyzed by fear. In these moments, leaders must remember that clarity doesn’t mean certainty. In other words, you won’t be one hundred percent certain that your decision about what to do will work out the way you had hoped. But if you wait until you’re completely certain, you’ll never act.

Andy Stanley once said, “In times of uncertainty clarity will suffice. Leaders, we can be uncertain. We cannot afford to be unclear.” A lack of clarity will only compound the fear. In the middle of fear-producing circumstances, people need their leaders to chart the course. We must choose a clear direction forward even though the certainty of its outcome is unknown.

That’s one reason why we need wise counselors who we can call on in a moments notice. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” We need a council of wise counselors that are committed to our success in tough times. If we establish this council before crisis hits, we’ll have access to the resources when we need them most.

Courage

Billy Graham once said, “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” Joshua is a perfect example. He led the Israelites into the land God has promised to give them. Forty years earlier the negative report of ten unbelieving spies had won the day. But this time, God commanded Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for theLordyour God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Author James Kouzes once said, “Only those leaders who act boldly in times of crisis and change are willingly followed.” When fear cripples the people we lead, we cannot let it cripple us. We must lead. In the face of fear, we must act. That courage will give others the confidence to follow.

All four of these gifts provide the help people need to move forward in the face of fear. How? Empathy connects with the heart. Assurance produces hope. Clarity charts the course forward. And courage empowers people to act. When we offer these four gifts, we’re able to lead people out of their fears and into the future.