ridicule

Defend Like It.

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13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. – 1 Peter 3:13-17 ESV

Suffering wasn’t just a possibility for the recipients of Peter’s letter, it was a daily reality. And Peter is attempting to get them to realize that their suffering was a natural byproduct of their faith in Christ. It came with the territory. Being a Christ-follower was not going to be easy. Being a member of God’s family, one of His chosen ones, was a status that came with some great benefits, but also some less-than-pleasant byproducts. Doing what was right in God’s eyes was going to produce a reaction among the lost, including unbelieving masters, spouses, friends, family members and co-workers. And those reactions would not always be enjoyable or positive in nature. But Peter responds, “even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats” (1 Peter 3:14 NLT). The thing Peter wanted his readers to recognize was that God’s approval meant more and carried more weight than the approval of men. The bottom line was that they needed to do what was right according to God’s viewpoint, not that of the world. Listening to His will brought a reward. Listening to the world might bring acceptance and immediate affirmation, but not peace with God.

For Peter, it all begins in the heart, where each believer is to “honor Christ the Lord as holy” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV). That’s where we begin the process of setting apart Christ as unique and as a transformative presence in our lives. Peter refers to “ the hope that is in you” and wants his readers to know that it is Jesus Christ who has made it possible for them to have a right relationship with God and to enjoy the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Christ. Paul refers to this as “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 ESV). And Peter states that, regarding that hope, we are to be ready at all times “to make a defense to anyone who asks.” We need to be able to explain why we have hope, both in this life and in the one to come. It is important that we be able to defend what it is that we say we believe, especially when we get push back from those who don’t agree. Of all people living on this planet, we should have hope, and that hope finds its foundation in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. It is our hope in Christ, and the promise He offers of abundant life now and eternal life to come, that should influence our behavior. It should be the reason we give for the way we live.

But we are to make our defense with “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV). Part of what we need to be able to communicate is the reason behind our willingness to suffer for doing what is right and good. While suffering, we are not to complain, get bitter, or respond in anger. Remember what Peter said in the last chapter:

if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you… – 1 Peter 2:20 NLT

And people are going to want to know why you willingly put up with suffering, shame, humiliation, rejection and persecution, all for doing what is pleasing to God. The average lost person is not going to understand that kind of mindset. If you say you are following the will of God and suffering as a result, they will have a hard time understanding what the motivation behind your actions might be. It will make no sense to them. They will find it hard to justify belief in a God who allows His followers to suffer.Who would want to worship a God like that? Peter’s answer would be simple. He would say he would gladly suffer for God and so should we, because of the hope He has brought to us. Our hope is based on a future promise, not immediate gratification. We don’t necessarily get our best life now, but the promise of a better life to come. In speaking of “those who revile your good behavior in Christ” (1 Peter 3:16 ESV), Peter says we are to maintain a good conscience among them, because we are suffering for the sake of Christ. Even if we are slandered, we can rest easy, knowing that we have remained faithful to Christ. And Peter makes it clear that “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!” (1 Peter 3:17 NLT).

Peter will pick up this same theme in chapter four of his letter.

15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! – 1 Peter 4:15-16 NLT

You see, it is normal and natural, even among the lost, to suffer for doing the wrong thing. Bad people can and do receive punishment for wrong behavior, and so they should. But it makes no sense to the unsaved that anyone should suffer for doing what is right. It is unfair and unnatural. That’s not the way the world is supposed to operate. But for us as believers, it is to be expected. Jesus even warned us about it.

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. – John 15:18-19 NLT

The world hates us. And the more we live for Christ and the more we live like Christ, the more intense that hatred will become. Jesus went on to say, “Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you” (John 15:20 NLT). Not only that, He explains that “They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me” (John 15:21 NLT). God sent Jesus as the Savior of the world, and the world rejected Him. Jesus has now sent us into the world, and we find ourselves rejected as well. It is to be expected. It shouldn’t surprise us. And just like Jesus, we will suffer most for doing what is right and good. And when the lost around us see us suffer willingly and gladly, we must be ready to share with them the hope that is within us. It was Paul who said:

8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. – 2 Timothy 2:8-10 NLT

Are you willing to suffer for doing good? Are you ready to explain to the lost around you why you willingly suffer for doing what God has called you to do? The only sane answer is that you have a hope, a living hope as Peter described it, reserved in heaven for you.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you… – 1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT

 

We should be able to defend our actions and the suffering we endure as a result of those actions. We need to be able to articulate why we do the things we do, and why we are willing to suffer for having done them. It is because of our hope – our living hope based in Jesus Christ; our Redeemer, Savior, Shepherd and King. And it is because of our hope founded on His promise of eternal life because He sacrificed His life for ours. We suffer because He did. We endure the shame because He did. We willingly put up with the rejection and ridicule, because He did. He has given us hope and we defend our lives like it.

 

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

A Gracious Thing.

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Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. – 1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV

Peter now turns his attention to those within the church who were servants. The actual Greek word he uses is οἰκέτης (oiketēs) and it refers to a household servant or domestic. In many, if not all, cases these people were actually slaves. Theirs was not a normal case of voluntary employment. Those for whom they worked were considered their masters. They were obligated by Roman law to obey their masters It is thought that as many as 1 in 3 of the population of Italy were slaves. In the rest of the Roman provinces it was as much as 1 in 5. So slaves were a major part of the Roman economy and social structure. The Ancient History Encyclopedia provides a glimpse into the Roman perspective on slavery.

Slavery, that is complete mastery (dominium) of one individual over another, was so embedded in Roman culture that slaves became almost invisible and there was certainly no feeling of injustice in this situation on the part of the rulers. Inequality in power, freedom and the control of resources was an accepted part of life and went right back to the mythology of Jupiter overthrowing Saturn. As K.Bradley eloquently puts it, ‘freedom…was not a general right but a select privilege’ (Potter, 627). Further, it was believed that the freedom of some was only possible because others were enslaved. Slavery, was, therefore, not considered an evil but a necessity by Roman citizens.(Mark Cartwright. “Slavery in the Roman World,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified November 01, 2013. http://www.ancient.eu /article/629/.)

Peter does not address the institution of slavery. Instead, he speaks directly to those within the church who happened to be slaves or servants. That is the amazing thing. The very fact that these individuals were part of the local body of Christ speaks volumes about the church’s view of them as individuals. They were considered equal members of the body of Christ and were addressed as individuals with both responsibilities and rights. So Peter talks directly to them, giving them very personalized and specific instructions regarding their behavior. They were to “be subject” to their masters. He repeats the phrase he used when speaking to the church as a whole about their relationship to governmental authorities. These slaves had another issue. They were under the authority of their masters. They were obligated by law to obey. But Peter gives them a new way of looking at their role. In fact, he says that they were to treat their masters with all respect, whether they were good and gentle or unjust. And in Peter’s estimation, if a slave was suffering because of his faith in Christ, it was a “gracious thing.” The word he used was χάρις (charis). Charis was used by the New Testament authors to refer to God’s good will, loving-kindness, and favor. It was “the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues” (“G5485 – charis (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org).

They were to view their suffering as a sign of God’s grace and a reminder of His ongoing transformation of their lives into the likeness of His Son. He reminds them that enduring suffering for doing wrong accomplishes nothing. But enduring suffering for doing what is right and good “is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (1 Peter 2:20 ESV). When we endure suffering for the sake of Christ, our actions not only please God, but God is pleased to use those times of difficulty to mold us and make us more holy. Paul told the believers in Rome, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5 ESV). Suffering that comes as a result of our faith is to be expected. For a slave in Peter’s day, the ridicule and shame that would have accompanied their faith would have been great. They were not viewed as people. They were property. Their masters would have seen their new-found faith in Christ as a threat. They had no rights. A master seeing their slave mixing in with other individuals of other classes of society as part of the church would have infuriated them.

But Peter reminds the slaves “to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21 ESV). Then Peter explains how the example of Christ applied to them. Throughout His suffering on this earth, Jesus “continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23 ESV). He kept His faith in God. He knew that His heavenly Father was watching and would reward Him for His faithfulness. He never took His eyes off His calling. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV). And it was the suffering of Christ that provided the means of salvation for mankind. By his wounds we have been healed. It was His suffering and death that made it possible for slaves, servants, masters, men, women, children, Jews, Gentiles and people from all walks of life to return to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls. Christ’s suffering had a purpose. So does ours. It produces endurance, character and hope. And it reveals the grace of God as He uses anything and everything in our lives to produce in us the image of His Son.

Committed to God.

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But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. – Jeremiah 20:11-12 ESV

Jeremiah 20:7-18

Jeremiah was facing some tough opposition. His own people refused to listen to his call to repentance and warning of coming destruction. He had face rejection, ridicule and even physical violence at the hands of those he was attempting to save. And yet, this shouldn’t have been surprising to Jeremiah, because God had forewarned him. “‘will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless’” (Jeremiah 15:20-21 ESV). And it was to this earlier promise from God that Jeremiah returned. God had said that He would be with Jeremiah to save and deliver him. God had promised to deliver him out of the hand of the ruthless. The Hebrew word for “ruthless” is the same word Jeremiah used to describe God. It can mean “terrible one, mighty, or strong”. The NET Bible translates it as “awe-inspiring warrior” when used of God. Jeremiah’s opponents were terrible, violent and ruthless when it came to their treatment of him. But his God was going to put the, pardon the pun, dread of God in them. They would be greatly shamed and would not succeed. While Jeremiah was going through a temporary state of disgrace and dishonor, theirs would be everlasting.

In the midst of all his difficulties, Jeremiah was calling upon the Lord of hosts – literally, Yahweh of Armies. It is a shortened version of the title, Yahweh the God of Armies, which occurs five times in the book of Jeremiah. The abbreviated version occurs 77 times. This reference to God has to do with His sovereignty as King and creator. He not only leads the armies of heaven, but the army of Israel and the armies of the nations of the world, which He uses as He sees fit. It is to the Lord of hosts that Jeremiah appeals. He calls out to the one who rules over all and who knows all. Jeremiah recognizes that God knows his heart and the hearts of his opponents. God can see what is going on and can easily ascertain who is right and who is wrong. Jeremiah simply asks God to do the right thing and save him as He has promised to do.

In spite of all he was going through, Jeremiah has committed himself to God. The Hebrew word Jeremiah used was galah and it can mean “to make naked or lay bare”. Jeremiah had, in essence, exposed himself, making himself vulnerable on behalf of God. He had been so committed to God’s call and cause that he had been willing to suffer abuse and rejection. He had put it all on the line for God. Now he was asking God to avenge him, to justify his suffering by validating his message. Jeremiah had been faithful to do what God had called him to do. He wanted God to be faithful and do what He had promised to do. “I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless” (Jeremiah 15:21 ESV).

When we stand for the truth of God, we will face opposition, and not just from the world. Sometimes our own brothers and sisters in Christ will stand against us or misunderstand us. But it is always essential that we make sure the cause for which we stand is God’s and not our own. We must never make the mistake of causing dissension and strife among the people of God based on our own opinion or agenda. Jeremiah was committed to God’s cause, not his own. He was speaking the words of God, not men. The agenda he followed was God’s. It can be so easy for us to replace God’s words with our own. We can end up causing disruption in the body of Christ, not because we are speaking truth, but because we are sharing our opinion and promoting our own agenda. The apostle Paul told the believers in Corinth, “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths” (1 Corinthians 2:13 NLT). His words were from God. We must always make sure that what we say is Spirit-inspired, biblically based and God-ordained. The cause to which we commit ourselves must be God’s, not our own. Because when we speak God’s word, we will always have God’s backing. When we commit to His cause, He will commit Himself to our care.

Day 141 – Matthew 27:35-44; Mark 15:24-32; Luke 23:33-43; John 19:18-27

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It Was Love.

Matthew 27:35-44; Mark 15:24-32; Luke 23:33-43; John 19:18-27

A Sign was fastened above Jesus’ head announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” – Matthew 27:37 NLT

Jesus was guilty. Yes, He was guilty of being the King of the Jews., and it was for that reason He was crucified. Over and over again in the Gospel accounts, that term is used to describe Jesus. It was the main point of questioning by Pilate. It was the one point of accusation to which He would respond when questioned. It was how Pilate presented Him to the people. It was why He was mocked by the Roman guards and what caused them to place a purple robe on His shoulders and a crown of thorns on His head. Pilate even went as far as to have it written on the piece of wood that was nailed to the cross above Jesus’ head, signifying His “crime.” Interestingly enough, the Jewish religious leaders tried to get Pilate to change the wording, asking him to have it changed to “He said, I am the King of the Jews.” But Pilate refused. As Jesus was being crucified, the leading priests and teachers of religious law stood at the foot of the cross, mocking Him. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself!” (Mark 15:31 NLT). They shouted, “Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” (Mark 15:32 NLT).  Even one of the criminals who was being crucified next to Him scoffed, saying, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself – and us, too, while you’re at it!” (Luke 23:39 NLT).

And here’s the amazing thing: Jesus could have saved Himself. He could have come down off the cross and put an end to His own suffering. He could have dealt with His enemies in righteous indignation, giving them exactly what they deserved – the full wrath of a holy God. But instead, Jesus responded, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NLT). And He continued to allow Himself to be ridiculed and mocked. He continued to allow His life to ebb away, so that the very ones who were hurling abuse at Him might one day believe in Him and find forgiveness for their sins and a restored relationship with the Father. Yes, Jesus had the full capacity and power to come down off that cross, because He really was the King of the Jews and He really was the Son of God. He was divine, and yet He suffered and died. Why? What would possess Jesus to go through what He did? Why would He allow His own creation to mock and murder Him? I think the answer is found in the words of a song that I haven’t heard in quite some time. It expresses the reality of what held Jesus to that cross that day, and caused Him to give His life for you and for me. Read them slowly and think about them. Consider the significance of what they say. And then express your gratitude to Jesus for what He has done.

He could’ve called ten thousand angels
To deliver Him that day.
But He hung there in all His anguish
To prepare for me a way.

It wasn’t nails that held Him to the tree
Nor the angry crowd that cried crucify
For when Jesus died upon Calvary
It was love that held Him there.

Oh what love beyond all measure
That He gave His life for me
And I’m so glad that one day in glory
His Blessed Face I’ll see.

It wasn’t nails that held Him to the tree
Nor the angry crowd that cried crucify
For when Jesus died upon Calvary
It was love that held Him there.

Every day I’ll tell the story
Of His precious love for me
How He bled and died on Calvary
There to prove His love for me.

Jesus, You literally could have called ten thousand angels. You could have stopped the whole affair and decided that enough was enough. You could have turned Your full divine power against those who were crucifying You, and You would have been completely justified in Your actions. But instead, You remained faithful to Your Father’s plan, and You willingly sacrificed Your life for ours. It wasn’t nails that held you there. It wasn’t Roman guards who kept you on the cross. It wasn’t man-made laws or trumped-up charges that caused Your death. It was love. You died because You loved us. You died because Your Father loved us. It was love that held You there and I am forever grateful. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 134 – Luke 23:6-12

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Curious, But Uncommitted.

Luke 23:6-12

Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. – Luke 23:8 NLT

Pilate, having found nothing about Jesus worthy of putting him to death, decided to buy himself time by sending Jesus to Herod, who was the Roman-appointed ruler over over Galilee. Herod happened to be in Jerusalem that week and was excited to have the opportunity to meet Jesus face to face. He had heard much about Him, and Luke comments that he was anxious to see Jesus perform one of the miracles He was so famous for. But Herod was an evil man with a wicked reputation. It was he who had had John the Baptist beheaded, because John had spoken boldly and bluntly about Herod’s immoral relationship with his wife, who he had stolen from his own brother. Herod was a power-hungry individual who had inherited title and power from his father, Herod the Great, the one who attempted to eliminate Jesus after his birth by ordering the murder of all male infants two and under. Herod Antipas was on friendly terms with the Romans because they held the key to his power and influence.

But his only interest in Jesus was superficial. He was curious. He had heard much about Jesus and would have loved to have seen Him perform some kind of miracle or sign, kind of a parlor trick, right in front of him. But Jesus remained silent the entire time He was before Herod. He refused to answer his questions or enter into a dialogue with him. Jesus knew who he was and what he had done to John the Baptist. Herod was unrepentant and unchanged. Herod bombarded Jesus with question after question, while the religious leaders shouted accusations against Him. In time, Herod ran out of patience and his questions because taunts and ridicule. He and his soldiers began to mock Jesus. Then they put a royal robe on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. Even that simple act of scorn was a subtle reminder that Jesus was exactly who He said He was. He was the King of the Jews. He was the Messiah. This Roman-appointed ruler had placed a royal robe on Jesus, unknowingly validating Jesus’ claims.

But Herod’s curiosity did little to change his view of Jesus, and it did nothing to change his own spiritual condition. He had greeted Jesus with interest and the hopes of witnessing a miracle, but when his desires went unmet, he treated Jesus with scorn and rejected Him. And so it is with many today. There are those who are curious about Jesus and who would love to see if He could do for them what He has done for others. They come to Him driven by curiosity and interested to see if He can make their life better, remove some pain they are experiencing, or simply alleviate the boredom they are experiencing from life. But when Jesus doesn’t perform as requested or answer all their questions, they simply reject Him. They do not want from Jesus what He came to offer, but prefer to demand from Jesus what they think they need. When He fails to deliver, they simply cast Him aside as unneeded and unnecessary. I am sure that Herod had no need of Jesus. He was rich, powerful, influential and used to getting his way. He was immune to ridicule and capable of eliminating any and all opposition. Jesus was a blip on the radar screen of his life, who held little or no interest for him, other than as an object of curiosity. His only reaction to the Son of God standing in his presence had been ridicule and scorn. He had missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Father, how many continue to reject Your Son today. They come curious about all that they’ve heard, but they are unwilling to listen to what Jesus has to say about their lives. They only want from Jesus what they get to decide. But Jesus isn’t a personal Genie in a bottle. He isn’t a personal life coach intent on assisting us with our self-imposed, self-improvement plans. He came to deliver us from our sin and release us from God’s righteous condemnation of death. May my life be witness to those around me, that what Jesus came to provide is so much better than any miracle they may want to see Jesus perform. He came to transform us, not entertain us. He came to restore our relationship with God, not fulfill our curiosity. Let my life be an ongoing witness to that fact. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Proverbs 29c

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Fear of Man.

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” – Proverbs 29:25 NLT

Most of us don’t want to admit it and the rest of us probably just don’t recognize it, but we all suffer from an inordinate fear of man – and it takes all kinds of forms. Sometimes we simply worry about what others will think about us. We get dressed in the morning selecting our wardrobe based on the various reactions we hope to get from those we work with. Some of us are petrified to speak in front of others, breaking out in a cold sweat at the very thought of it. Many of us fear rejection or getting hurt, so we refuse to let anyone get close to us. Others of us fear being made fun of or laughed at by others. Then there are those who fear being found out, of getting exposed and watching as others discover some hidden truth about us that we have covered up for years.

The fear of man is alive and well. And this simple proverb tells us that it is a dangerous trap. The truth is, any time we fear what people might do or think, we are allowing them to control our lives. Changing clothes three times in the morning out of some sense of insecurity and need to impress others is fear-based and debilitating. It robs us of joy. It traps us in a relentless pursuit of acceptance, never knowing if we are going to please those around us with our choices and whether or not we can influence others to like us, or just simply notice us. Refusing to pursue relationships out of a fear of being rejected leaves us isolated and missing out on the vital aspect of community we were meant to have as human beings. The fear of rejection causes us to turn inward, diminishing our capacity to give ourselves away to others and robbing us of joy in the process.

Every day we wrestle with the fear of man. But as believers, we are reminded that it is trust in God that should drive our actions and attitudes. Allowing ourselves to be driven by the fear of man shows that we do not really believe that God is sovereign and capable of taking care of us. We try to impress others in order to receive some kind of affirmation and acceptance in return. Yet, we are loved and accepted by God, JUST THE WAY WE ARE. We allow ourselves to become incapacitated by our fear of others, yet we worship an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God who has promised to protect us and provide for us. It is easy to fear men because they are all around us and easy to see. It is harder to trust God because He is literally out of sight, which tends to render Him out of mind. But we must constantly remind ourselves of His presence and rest in His promise that He will never leave us of forsake us. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “So we can say with confidence, ‘The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'” (Hebrews 13:6 NLT). He was simply reiterating an Old Testament thought penned by King David himself, “The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Psalm 118:6 NLT). The fear of man is a trap. But when we learn to trust in God, we find ourselves in a place of safety. We are free to be who He intended us to be. We learn that our worth is based on what He thinks about us, not others. We don’t have to fear what others think about us or might do to us, because God is on our side. He loves us and thinks the world of us. In fact, He loves us so much that He sent His own Son to die for us. He is not impressed with or swayed by our clothes, cars, and winning personalities. He will never harm us, ridicule us, or do anything to belittle us. He will never reject us, even though He knows everything about us. So why would we fear what others think? Don’t fall into that trap. Instead, trust in God.

Father, it’s so easy to fear man. But I want to trust You more and more. Keep opening my eyes to the reality of just how prevalent the fear of man is in my life and then help me to replace it with trust in You. Amen.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org