Good Fear vs Bad

OPENING PRAYER:

Gracious Lord, teach me to walk with you, to wait upon you, and to worship you. I bless your name today.

READ: MATTHEW 10:24-33

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Footnote:

[a] Matthew 10:29 Or will; or knowledge

MATTHEW 10:24-33

REFLECT:

Give thanks to God for the infinite love and intricate detail with which he created you, simply because it delighted him to do so (Genesis 1:31).

If we’re looking to find our well-being from winning the approval and avoiding the disapproval of other people, we’ll only get disappointed, exhausted, and feel even more insecure. Being a people-pleaser may compromise how we share our message, for its truth challenges, exposes, provokes, and central to it is the ‘offense of the cross’ (Galatians 5:11). It’s also the truth that brings comfort when we share it (vs 26,27; 2 Corinthians 1:3). Consider how much fear impacts your freedom to ‘proclaim from the roofs’ what Jesus has done for you.

Proverbs 29:25 says, ‘Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe’. The solution is to come afresh to the realization of who God is and how he values us. Fear of the Lord is a foundation of learning to live wisely (Proverbs 1:7), and ‘Happy are those who fear the Lord’ (Psalm 112:1, NRSV) for obedience commands his blessing. We fear God by showing him reverence as our honored Father to whom we owe everything! He adopted us to share Christ’s glory and supplies our needs to endure Christ’s suffering in his service (vs 24,25). Serving in his power means we won’t need to fear his judgment (vs 32,33).

APPLY:

‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31). Meditate on what you can do today because you have God’s favor. Dream big!

CLOSING PRAYER:

Lord, there are many aspects of my life that I need to work on. Grant me discernment and wisdom as I seek to be the person you want me to be.

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