What do you fear most? Is it spiders, snakes, or even the dark? How do you react when you are afraid? Do you tremble, freeze in place, or perhaps even begin to cry? What does fear do to you? We know that there exists many forms of “phobia,” but many psychologists have concluded that the main reason for fear is because of the uncertainty of the unknown. As someone once put it, “we fear that which we don’t understand.” But fear can be a very dangerous factor in the human being. We have seen cases in the news where people have reacted wildly because of fear, resulting in catastrophe, sometimes ending in pain or even death. But for a Christian, what should fear mean for him? When we read Proverbs 29:25, we are able to see God’s explanation of how man’s fright can become very disastrous. Scripture teaches us that when a man becomes fearful, he brings a “snare.” According to the New American Webster Handy College Dictionary:
Snare (n.): a trap.
So as we read our passage, we understand thus far that “the fear of man” sets a trap for the man in fear. But we must also consider what type of fear sets this trap for us.
Fear (adj.): 1. Anticipation of misfortune or pain. 2. Something dreaded.
Having defined both of our main terms, the illustration begins to make sense. What we learn from our Lord God is that the anticipation of misfortune or pain becomes a trap in itself because it causes panic inside the person. The dreaded thought that dwells in the heart of the fearful man begins to destroy his use of logic and leads him to a very dangerous path; therefore, the second portion of our text becomes very clear as well. In order to contain the fear growing inside of me, I must put my trust in the Lord. Whenever the anticipation of pain and suffering begins to take over my sanity, the Lord instructs me to lay away my fears and trust in Him because He is my safety. Because we are human beings, it is impossible to say that we will never experience fear. Also, the bible is not telling us that we should never fear, but instead it is teaching us how to control our fears. As Christians many challenges are laid before us that sometimes may seem frightful, but yet the answer to the problem is always the same: trust in the Lord. As children of the Almighty it is imperative that we understand that we walk by faith and not by sight (2nd Corinthians 5:7). Walking by faith is putting our complete trust in the Lord and never doubting His power or mercy, no matter what challenges are put before us in this life. There are several things that scare us on this earth. Perhaps the thing man is most afraid of is death. The uncertainty of when we will die and what happens after death is truly a chilling thought. Death is one of those thoughts that haunts the human heart. However, for a Christian this should not be so. Although we cannot say that this subject that will not put a tinge of fear in us, we should not be afraid of death. The magnificent apostle Paul explains to us what death really means to a son of God. For those who are faithful until the end, death truly marks the beginning of an eternity with our Heavenly Father. It marks the end of tribulation, suffering, and anxiety. Having this knowledge takes the edge off the fear of death. Trusting in the Lord helps ease our hearts not only because He is the only one who has the power of giving life and taking it, but also because our Lord has conquered death (Isaiah 25:8, Hosea 13:14). Our Father promises to destroy death because of all the pain and suffering it has brought His children. The apostle asks the question, “O Death, where is your sting?” as a means of alluding to the reason why death came to be (1st Corinthians 15:55). Death came into existence because of the sin of man (Genesis 2:17, Romans 5:12, 6:23). Even so, our Lord has also given us the solution to death. For us as Christians death should not represent punishment for the wages of our sin because our Lord Jesus Christ has already payed for our sins with His blood (Romans 5:10-11, 1st Peter 3:18). Hence how the proverb becomes true! We must believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has saved us from certain death, but not a fleshly one but rather an eternal one. If we are faithful, then we must not fear death but rather embrace it as our brother Paul once did (Philippians 1:21). Death should not become a trap for he who is a true Christian. Rather, it should mark the wonderful beginning to an eternal life with the Majestic, Almighty God. If we trust the Lord, then we must have the boldness to know that death has lost its battle with us because we have conquered death through Christ. The apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, assures us that we have nothing to fear in the love of Christ (1st John 4:17-18). The apostle makes it evident what the power of God’s love for His creation can do. Having that comforting thought that because of His love, we not only find the boldness to conquer our fears, but we find the solace in knowing that He is with us even in the hour of our deaths. We must not ignore that fear is an important emotion our God has instilled in us; it is not meant to make us become stagnate in our lives. If we allow fear to truncate our spiritual growth, then that is not fear but rather cowardice. In John’s book of Revelation, he gives a list of those who did not make it into eternal salvation; observe with whom the list begins (Revelation 21:8). In the previous verse, the Master gives His followers words of encouragement before revealing that those who are afraid of losing their lives for Him, will lose something even greater. Therefore, it is wise we obtain the understanding that there is nothing on this earth we should fear to the point that it leads us to commit illogical or irrational mistakes in our lives. We must learn to use our fear properly, as means of deterring us from losing what truly matters in this life, because we are the Children of God. It is true that at times our Christianity will have its weight to be carried, but at the same time we should never forget that our Master has made the promise to always be there, helping us with the load life puts on our shoulders. He has made the commitment of being our partner in carrying our yokes, but has also assured us that these yokes we carry are not too heavy (Matthew 11:28-30). Therefore, once more the statement of the proverb exhorting us to dominate our unrestricted fear with reliance upon God is confirmed by none other than the Master Himself. Knowing and accepting this truth, grants us access to His peace that surpasses all understanding.