We have here a double proverb, each half is true by itself;and,put together,the whole is forcible and full of teaching.He who fears man is in great danger from that very fact;he who trust in the Lord is in no danger at all.Trusting in the Lord is the great protector from the fear of man."The fear of man is a snare",it leads men into great sin,it keeps them from conversion and stops them from pronouncing their faith and belief.
The soul that can't entirely trust God,whether man be pleased or displeased,can never be true to Him.Those who fear man more than he trust God will never know the true power of the Lord. He lives a life captivated by doubt,trapped in sin and unable to break free for fear of what others might say.Unable to worship for fear of what others might say, unwilling to hold on because others limited faith,you don't stand for fear of being alone, you won't pray because you are scared,you won't sing because you are scared,you won't witness because you are scared,you won't step out because you are scared,you become a prisoner of the fear of man instead of being safe in the trust of God.
Nothing kills the fear of man more effectually than the fear of God.Faith is the armor to the soul,and clothed with it,we enter the thick of the battle without fear of wounds.Fear of man deadens conscience,distracts meditation,hinders holy activity,stops the mouth of testimony and paralyzes the believers power.It is a snare that many are in and yet don't even realize it.But trust in the Lord and the power of His Christ and be free from the snare of mankind.
Amen, when we trust God, we don't fear men.
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