4 minute read
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25 NIV)
Fearing people is a snare.
In other words, if you care more about what people think than God, you have a problem. The majority of people in your life care about themselves more than they care about you. Not everyone, those that don’t, cling too tightly. Our innate selfishness is a chronic condition for all of us. Marriage highlights my battle with putting others first. For instance, when serving dinner, I want the largest serving—giving my husband more than me is a minor internal skirmish. I have to work at placing him before myself; it is not natural for me.
God doesn’t work to keep us top priority on His list. We are His children; we are always on His mind. Because He loves us so deeply, so passionately, He wants what is best for us. I used to think God was a buzz kill, a strict parent who didn’t want me having fun. My thoughts were wrong. Part of the blessing of obedience is protection from things that harm us. When we lie, we cause harm to ourselves. Truth always prevails, exposing lies. Nothing good comes from lying, but freedom comes from telling the truth. God’s ways are best.
Because He cares, we should care.
If God loves us more than any person, then His ways are the ones we should follow. God isn’t going to lie to you. He will never steal or cheat. Murder is impossible for God; He is the giver of life. God will never do to you what a human will do. He gave His one and only Son just to have a relationship with you. If someone loves me so much, He will sacrifice His Son; He has my best interest at heart. Remember, God first loved you:
“We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NIV)
He loved us first; we should love Him first. Actively loving God means obeying Him. As you learn more about Jesus, do what Jesus did. Honestly, following Christ is that simple. Spend time getting to know Jesus like you would a new friend. When you read the parables in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, imagine yourself in the story. YouTube “Jesus’s parables” and find out what kind of teacher He was. Jesus is awesome. He knows how to love people, learn from the Master.
Make a standing coffee date with God. Each morning, with your drink of choice, sit down with Him for a few minutes. Start with John, meet Jesus through his eyes. Let God lead you where He wants to take you. Care about what He thinks. Don’t care about what man thinks.
Question of the Day:
Whose opinion matter to you more, God’s or man’s?
Further Reading: Obadiah 1:1-21NIV, Revelation 4 NIV, Psalm 132:1-18 NIV, Proverbs 29:24-25 NIV
