IT IS WRITTEN in Proverbs 29:25

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."

Sometimes I learn the most interesting little things when I prepare a message.  I knew this verse was in Proverbs, but I didn't know exactly where it was located.  So, I was using my Strong's Concordance and using 'snare' as my search word.  Well, I found the 'address' and also a little number that leads to the Hebrew definition of the word.  So I looked that up and I learned that the word 'snare' in Hebrew is 'moquesh', and it means:  a noose (for catching animals) or a hook (for the nose).

Now I understand where the phrase 'being lead around by the nose' came from.

And that is exactly what I want to talk about this week!  I want to talk about doing things to please other people, as opposed to doing things to please God.  I think we've all done something for someone else that we really didn't want to do.  But we did it because:  (a.) We didn't want to let someone down (b.) We wanted someone's approval (c.) We just have a problem saying "No".  When this happens, we usually have a smile on our face, but inside of our hearts, we are feeling resentment.  That is not something God wants us to feel.  Usually, what we are asked to do is fairly benign, like buying something we don't really need or want to support some child's fund raiser, or maybe we agree to babysit for our grandchildren, because after all, that's just what grandparents do.  But what if it's something that is a little farther out of our comfort zone?  What if you were asked by someone to provide them with an 'excuse' or an 'alibi' that was not true?  What if it involved your job - say a report has numbers on it that you know are not accurate but you are asked to 'sign off' on it anyway?  What if someone tells an off-color joke that offends you?  Do you smile sheepishly or do you tell them you don't appreciate that kind of humor - even if it makes you seem 'square' or 'prudish'?

I used to struggle with telling people on the phone that someone was not in the office when they were sitting right there!  I can't count the number of times I was asked to do that.  Finally, I just made an announcement to the whole office that if they were not available for telephone calls to say, "I am not taking any calls" - that way I could tell the truth.  Now I can say with complete honesty "I'm sorry, he/she is not available for phone calls right now.  But I will be happy to take a message and have him/her call you as soon as possible."  Not only am I more comfortable with that answer, but their respect for ME went up tremendously!  I served notice that I would not lie for them, no matter how 'innocent' the lie seemed.  And that road runs both ways.  Later, I wanted to take a long lunch hour to attend a reception for a friend who was retiring. My boss said that it was fine with him, and to go enjoy myself and not worry about 'clocking out'.  But I was concerned that people who work in the personnel office and have access to my time records would be at the same reception - and they might resent the fact that I did not use my own time for the occasion.  So I had to explain to my boss that although I appreciated his generosity, I really did want him to deduct the time I was gone from my personal leave, because my integrity with those people was very important to me. I clocked out, and I clocked back in when I returned. It was just the right thing to do.  Besides that, everyone in the office knew I would be gone and I had already refused to lie for them!  And even if those things had not factored into my decision, I knew God would know.  There is nothing I can hide from Him.

In the first chapter of Galatians at verse 10 Paul writes, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God... If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Chris t." (NIV) Paul, who had previously been a most pious and zealous Jew, who scrupulously kept the 'law' and persecuted Chris tians, had done a complete turnaround in his thinking in order to serve Chris t.  And he told the Thessalonians in Chapter 2 at verses 4 through 6, "…we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.  We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.  You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed - God is our witness! We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else."  Here Paul is speaking for himself and Silas, and he makes it crystal clear that their MOTIVATION was to please God - at any cost!  And the cost was considerable - but that's another message.

If we trust the Lord, and we do what He has taught us to do through His Word, in all circumstances, He WILL keep us safe.  Safe from what?  Everything!  But for the purpose of this message, He will keep you safe from the consequences of deceit, He will keep you from feeling resentment, He will keep you from agreeing to do things for the wrong reason and overloading your schedule, He will keep your from compromising your witness.  Don't be afraid to say 'No'!   

Although I don’t usually close with a prayer, I would like to this week:

Father, for the last few weeks I've used this message to speak about depending MORE on You, and LESS on ourselves.  This week we need to make an effort ourselves in order to please YOU.  Father, help us to consider our motivations when we respond to requests people around us make.  Are we going to be doing it for YOUR approval?  If not Lord, please help us to find the words to decline in a way that honors You.  Test our hearts Lord, and root out any resentment or dishonesty that may be hiding in the shadows to snare us. Help us to live lives that are a witness in and of themselves - that others might see You in us.  Not just by the "things" we do, but also in the things that we choose not to do.  Help us to speak the truth in love.  Help us to take a stand about things that matter to You.  In Jesus precious name, I pray.  Amen.

In Chris t,

Judith Luttrell