In our modern culture there has been a snare that many have found themselves gripped by.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that.
Currently it is a common practice for churches to guilt people into activity, to utilize pressure to produce obedience to a preferred program, or event.
But is it pleasing to God for someone to act just because they’ve been made fearful of not doing it?
Do we actually get the mind of the Lord when we act from fear?
I cannot begin to tell you how often leaders themselves have been unable to get the mind of the Lord due to fearing the opinion of others.
The fear of man (other peoples opinions) is a snare. It disables our ability to clearly hear from the Lord about what we should be doing.
When I was a child I had this really bad. I was so afraid of others opinions I could not do most things I would have otherwise liked to have tried to do.
I was known around town as the friendly kid who was unselfish. But what most people did not know about me was that many times I let someone ride my bike, or borrow my toy, or use my stuff, it was because I was afraid of what they might think of me if I were to say no, which is what I really wanted to say sometimes.
I have witnessed more work done in churches that is rooted in the fear of man than I have seen works rooted in faith.
The fear of man disabled me as a child from doing many things I might have otherwise done had I not been afraid of the opinions of others about me.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
