Tuesday, February 5, 2008

No Fear of Man

Some of their faces indicated interest. People leaned forward in their chairs, smiled at me. Laughed at appropriate times. Engaged with the topic. Others in the room? Covered in total boredom, like they wondered when naptime was scheduled. Maybe my teaching wasn't a fascinating presentation, but I know the message was from God. And it was about freedom.

Two nights later I watched a musical performance by one of my favorite Christian artists. Same thing. Some not-so-impressed faces. Some people lost in the experience. So, I'm not the only one. Gives me the impression it's not necessarily the presenter. It's the individuals watching.

You know, you can't please everyone at once.

Jesus didn't seem to worry about this. He was most concerned about his Audience of One--the Father. He lived to please Him, to follow Him, to obey Him, to serve Him. He didn't concern Himself with people-pleasing.

Two verses come to mind:

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Galations 1:10 NKJV)

If we're still trying to make people comfortable, at the expense of the Truth, how can say we're serving God? The truth hurts, sometimes. Don't be afraid of it. Don't hide from it. Embrace it and you'll be free and others around you will be too. Here's the command God gave Jeremiah:

“Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.” (Jer 1:8 NKJV)

In other words, don't worry about the opinion of others. If God has given you an assignment, go forward with it, without fear.

Are you free from the "fear of man?" Are you a people pleaser? Jesus wasn't. Let's ask for grace to live the way He did while in the flesh and walk free from intimidation.

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