Fear of Man

Throughout the Bible the fear of man is often contrasted with the fear of God.  When it speaks of the fear of God, it is not referring to a sinister dread, but rather an awesome honor and respect. And there are great blessings associated with a proper fear of God…

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. (Proverbs 19:23)

Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it. (Proverbs 15:16)

 And Jesus is our perfect example. 

In John 8:28-29 Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

Throughout His earthly life Jesus lived in perfect harmony and submission to His Father in heaven.  This was true in all His words AND all His actions.  He lived in such a way as to please His Father. This is the true fear of the Lord.

Unfortunately, we are very different.  Rather than fear God, we fear men.  Peer pressure is real. From the time we are little children we seek to please our parents, our friends, teachers, and coaches.  As we grow, we may live to please our spouses, bosses, and even our own children.  This is a life with many pitfalls. 

1. You can't please everyone.  And you can't please anyone all the time. Pleasing one person may cause someone else to be upset, etc., etc.…

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time,” is attributed to poet John Lydgate.

2. When we are trying to please people, it takes us down destructive roads. Teens caught up in peer pressure may find themselves using drugs and alcohol and experimenting with harmful habits. And adults are not immune from these influences.

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

This is often seen in fear of rejection.  If we try to live in such a way that everyone will love and accept us, we fall into a deadly trap.  Man is a social creature, so we have a deep longing to belong.  But if this is our prevailing value, we lose our true identify in search of what others might want of us.

Woody Allen, the humorist, has famously asked, "Would you want to be a member of a club which would have you as a member?"  He raises an interesting point.

We should strive to be the people God has designed us to be, not what others want. That's why the fear of the Lord is such a great guiding principle and should supersede all others.

Other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our perfect example, another notable one is Daniel. Here is a short summary of his story…

In Daniel 6, while serving in the Persian Empire under King Darius, Daniel is targeted by jealous officials. They trick the king into issuing a decree forbidding prayer to anyone except Darius. Knowing the penalty is death, Daniel continues praying to God three times a day. 

The officials catch him and report it to Darius, who reluctantly orders Daniel thrown into a den of lions. God sends an angel to shut the lions’ mouths, and Daniel emerges unharmed the next morning. As a result, Darius decrees that everyone in the kingdom must honor Daniel’s God. The conspirators are then thrown into the lion’s den, and don't survive.

This shows Daniel’s fear of God over the fear of man. Despite the threat of death, Daniel puts God first and continues to pray. He trusts God’s power over the edict of the king. His true faith caused him to honor and obey God whatever the consequences.

So, what about you?

1. Are you a man pleaser or a God pleaser? The Apostle Paul said…

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Gal 1:10)

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (1 Thess 2:4)

2. Do you fear man or fear God?

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

3. When was the last time you chose to honor and obey God even when it hurt your reputation?
4. Have you suffered persecution for your faith?  How has God shown Himself faithful to you?