“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)
Have you ever considered what the fear of man is? We talk about trusting in the Lord and fearing the Lord quite often in our everyday Christian and church circles, but do we talk about the fear of man?
What exactly is the fear of man? This verse says that the fear of man is a snare. Do you know what a snare is? It’s a trap. A snare is usually a noose type structure that is meant to catch its prey either by its foot or around its neck. Around its foot would cause it to not be able to move but still be alive. A noose, well we know that doesn’t ever end well.
So what is the fear of man that it either causes us to be unable to move or possibly ending very poorly? Here is a list of all the things we use in our current culture that are really the fear of man. I will try to explain them as I go so you understand the connection.
- Peer Pressure- Most of us know what peer pressure is and have even seen its effects on people. We dress a certain way. We say certain things. We do things because our peers are doing it. We try to “keep up with the Jones.’” Generally, these things are not beneficial to us or to those around us. Can you see how peer pressure can be a snare that ends in entrapment? Someone who begins to drink alcohol and drinks with friends begins to notice the draw of wanting more. No longer is drinking a thing to do with friends, it becomes a way to cope with the stress of life. This can lead to addiction and even death. This may be an extreme example of peer pressure, but what about the pressure to share a secret that you know because you are with a group of people that is gossiping. Not wanting to be left out, you also share a secret that would hurt the other person’s reputation or character. Now you have damaged someone else and have drug them into the snare of your weakness of peer pressure.
- Over Commitment – do you say “yes” when wisdom would indicate that you say “no?” How many times have you said “yes” to something at work or at church because you wanted to make sure everyone thought highly of you. I love the thought “when you say ‘yes’ to one thing you are saying ‘no’ to something else.” When my children were young, I would say “yes” to so many things. They were always good things, but in saying “yes” to all of those good things it took a toll on our family. Now I try to get input from my husband, daughters, parents, or friends before saying “yes.” I spend time in prayer regarding my decision first and foremost. I don’t want to commit to something because I want others to think highly of me, rather I want to commit to things because they would use the talents and abilities God has given me to serve others and glorify God.
In my effort to keep these posts something that is a quick read, I must conclude here and tell you to tune in next week. As you ponder these two points this week, remember that when we fear man it is a snare, but when we fear God it will keep us safe. Would you rather be in a trap that will restrict you or cause terrible consequences or fear the God of the universe who wants to keep us safe?
