FEAR IS A TRAP - FEAR IS GOOD - ???

Have you every worried about what some one else might think?  Of course not Christians are not supposed to worry - we are only concerned.  Let's be honest - call it whatever you want - but anytime we think more of what a person may think about us rather than what God thinks about us we are on shaky ground. Let's look at these verse.

Proverbs 29.25 (NET)  The FEAR of people becomes a SNARE, but whoever TRUSTS in the Lord will be set on HIGH. 

Proverbs 9.10 (NET)  The beginning of wisdom is to fear the LORD, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.

"If you fear what people might do or think that controls your life. Fearing people is like being in a TRAP there is no freedom no security.  Being set on high is a military term: it is to find a defensible position a place of safety and security. It is to have the high ground a fortress that cannot be breached." NET Notes 

When we put ALL our Trust and Confidence in God that is what sets us free and gives us safety and security. The choice is ours: will we give in to fear and doubt and allow our confidence in God to drift away? OR will we turn away from the TRAP of seeking the approval of men?  When we put ALL our hope in God - when our Confidence is in Him then we do not have to fear the opinion of men.  When His opinion is what REALLY matters most in our lives then we can be free from the snare of FEARING the opinion of men. 

The Contrast between FEAR of men Pr. 29.25 - and the FEAR of the Lord is huge. A different Hebrew word is used in Pr. 9.10 it means worshipful submission, reverential awe and obedient respect.  If we are scared of men it is a trap.  But if we truly FEAR the Lord that will mean we will NOT be scared of the opinions of men.  We will put our confidence and trust in God alone.  We will submit to Him and Obey His Word.  We will weigh every opinion of man against God’s Word.  And we will stand on God’s Word.  

PRAYER: Lord, help me to turn to You in Confident Trust no matter what I am going through no matter what others may think or say.  Help me to Trust You and to Trust Your Word above all things.  May what you think of me matter more than anything else.