The Fear of Man

The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected. —Proverbs 29:25

I’ve had the privilege of speaking in front of some large audiences throughout my ministry. Yet no matter the size of the crowd, it’s important for me to remember that I minister for an audience of One.

As followers of Christ, our ultimate goal is to please the Lord. He’s the One who chooses our ministry. He’s the One who sets us apart. He’s the One who has entrusted us with this calling.

This can be a struggle if people tell me, “I love your podcast and books.” I continually need to ask the Lord to remind me that I live to please Him alone.

The fear of man puts us in bondage. This goes not just for praise but also for criticism. If we’re too influenced by the praise of men, then we’ll be wiped out when we get criticized.

Ultimately, whether we hear how great we are or how much we do wrong, we need to put aside the fear of men and live instead for the praise of God.

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“Portrait of an Effective Servant” (Revive Our Hearts series)

Scripture taken from The CSB