Be Exalted
There is a great temptation to “clam up” and say nothing when a person’s faith is challenged. If one is in a college science class where evolution is being taught, those students who speak up for God as our Creator are very likely going to be demeaned by the professor in front of the whole class — and be given a lower grade, which might jeopardize their opportunities for a scholarship. Those students who fear the professor’s opinion just give the “answers” he is expecting them to give.
In some college writing classes where one is required to list references for one’s opinion, it is totally permissible for the writer to use references pertaining to witchcraft, atheism, and other world religions — but, one is not allowed to use the Bible as a reference for any opinion nor the work of any famous Christian theologian. (I say this from personal experience.) There again, in fear of the professor, most students do not refer to anything in their Christian faith.
If one is on a job where homosexuals also work, one is expected to say nothing contrary to homosexuality, even when directly asked or when harassed because they know you are a Christian. The slightest hint of being politically incorrect will cost one’s job. In other words, they are allowed to discriminate against Christian principles, but a Christian is not allowed to say anything that can be construed as discriminatory.
When some Christians have a non-Christian friend, who is highly opinionated and expresses their opinion with defiance, that Christian might tend to just avoid all sensitive subjects in an effort to get along. People can even have a fear of their “friend”.
When Christians are pro-life and take a stand for life, they are amazed at the vehement lashing out of hateful words from those who are pro-abortion. There is no effort from the pro-abortionists to listen. So, Christians often don’t mention this topic when they know they are in the presence of a pro-abortionist. There is a fear of man’s opinion.
Many such examples could be given, where there is fear of another person’s reaction. But, the Bible has something to say about this age-old problem. Proverbs 29:25 says,
The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.
Fearing mankind’s worldly opinion will eventually bring a snare — big time trouble. It’s saying if we don’t stand up for what is right from the very beginning, we’re going to get trapped by our fear. We don’t know just what that trap will be ( It depends on the situation. ), but being trapped is not a good thing.
How can we keep from being trapped in a snare? We are to “trust in the LORD”. We are to trust the LORD in each and every situation while doing what is right and good in God’s eyes. We trust in the LORD because we have a much greater respect and reverence for Him than we do for the opinion of a mere man, whose life is short.
We trust in the LORD because He is obviously much more powerful than any man ever dreamt of being. We trust in the LORD because He has proven His love for us in Jesus Christ. We trust in the LORD because He alone holds our whole future in His hands.
God promises that everyone who trusts in Him “will be exalted” . That exaltation may not be obvious until we reach heaven, as in the case of many martyrs over the years, but it will be worth so much more than any earthly thing we can imagine. We need to weigh the eternal values between cowering before a man’s opinion and standing high for God’s ways.
Let us stand high for our Lord because we will then “be exalted”, and His love is worth it. Trusting in our LORD, we say, “Hallelujah! My Lord, Your ways are good and right — and eternal. And, your love in Jesus Christ strengthens me to live for You.”
Love,
Margaret
A devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and King of kings…
**************
