August 20, 2017 (Proverbs 29:25)

“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trust in the LORD will be safe” (Prov 29:25). In this simple yet profound saying is a nugget of extraordinary truth. It is a life-changing revelation which, unfortunately, has escaped many in the church who’ll profess the name of Jesus, yet have not genuinely surrendered their lives to His lordship. Viewing Jesus as one’s Savior without submitting to Him as Lord and Master is a dangerous deception. For it is looking at one’s life through natural lenses rather than the eyes of God. We have not been created in the image of God for our own purposes, but rather that we might become a people who reflect the very character of our Creator. Thus the fear of man brings a snare, a soul-crushing snare of being so concerned about what others think that their approval is needed to feel good about oneself. Such is totally contrary to Paul’s teaching in Romans 12:2 that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we might “prove” what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The sinful nature, whose director is Satan, would have us doing nearly anything to gain the approval and praise of man. The mind renewed by help from the Holy Spirit will have us place our trust fully in Jesus Christ and, in so doing, create within a sense of safety and peace which passes all understanding. It is those whose lives bear witness of this that are a sweet aroma in the body of Christ.