Fearing the Reproach of Others

 No one likes to be put down by other people. We want to be accepted and loved by those around us. That even goes for the people we meet on a very temporary basis. We want to be treated with respect and have others to be kind to us. When that doesn't happen, it hurts us. We feel rejected, and that is one of the worst feelings we can have. It makes us feel like we are less of a person. 

God has something to say to us, as Christians, when we encounter this situation. (Isaiah 51:7) God implores us, as those who know righteousness and who have His law in our hearts to listen to Him and not to fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their insults. I believe this verse will really help us, if we will take it to heart and really understand why God is telling us this.

As we know Christ as our Lord and Savior, and as we have the Holy Spirit in us to teach us and empower us, we know righteousness. We know how to relate to God and to others in the right way. Also, as we know the Bible, God's Word, which contains His law, we know how to conduct ourselves well in every circumstance in our lives. Therefore, as the early Christians said, "We ought to obey God, not man." If we will simply live in God's righteousness and practice His law, we will have an abundant life, even though we will have troubles, too.

When we live a righteous life, those who don't know the Lord and are living in their own righteousness, will reproach us. They will say that we are terrible people, bigots, and don't care for them. Those things are not true, but they heap on their insults in an effort to get us to give in to their beliefs and their ways of living. If we do that, we are not good witnesses to them, and we give up the abundant life for us. Therefore, we must resolve not to have the fear of what others can do to us, but we must fear God only, and continue to do His will, no matter what others say about us.

#NHBaptistdotorg

Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 52-54.