The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV)
We’ve been on a series about six deadly fears that we all deal with and how they pertain to a biblical response to mental health. Today let’s discuss the fear of man, which Proverbs 29:25 calls a snare.
When we become overly concerned with what people think about us, it can stop us from stepping out into all that God has for us, and can even move us away from serving God if we’re not careful. We fear looking foolish, and can become severely limited and restricted by other’s opinions.
I’m not saying that we should totally ignore how others feel. That would be insensitive; however, we should never allow the fear of what others might think stop us from following God’s ways or His leading in our lives. We need to overcome this fear by focusing on the fact that we are completely accepted by God—unconditionally.
In Luke 12:4-5, Jesus teaches us not to fear man but to fear God. He said, “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”
What Jesus is saying here is that we need to be in awe of God. Rather than be overly concerned with what others think, consider what God thinks about you. He loves you unconditionally, and out of that love comes a desire to please Him. The more you focus on pleasing God, the less it matters what others think of you.