The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), NOT the fear of men! When you fear God, you reverence God. When you fear God, you become conscious of how you represent God in your dealings with humans. When you fear God, you take His commandments and precepts seriously. When you fear God, you walk according to His will. When you fear God, it shows you have wisdom. When you fear God and maintain your relationship with Him, you can see further in the spirit. When you fear God, you don’t joke with His words. When you fear God, you represent Him well because what matter to God matter to you.

It is impossible to fear man and simultaneously fear God. You can honor and respect people as there is a difference between honor and fear. So, that should not be confused. It is a disastrous thing to fear man instead of God. Whom you fear is who you will obey; When you fear man, you will disobey God. You risk breaking God’s commandments when you listen to and follow man’s request. When you fear man, you yield to its voice. When you reject God’s commandments, you are digging your own grave. 

Saul is a good example here. In 1 Samuel chapter 15, when God was ready to destroy the Amalekite nation (men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys), God sent Samuel to Saul with instructions on what he must do to the Amalek for what he (Amalek) did to Israel. In verse 9, “…Saul and [his] people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” Why would Saul disobey God by spearing Agag, king of the Amalekites and some of the best of the land?

Here is why, “…Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 1:24). Who do you fear? Who do you obey? 

After Samuel said he heard the bleating of the sheep, in verse 15, “…Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” Your excuses may sound genuine to people. They may appear authentic but are not tenable before God. Any sacrifice that is not from a repentant heart is not acceptable by God. Let your sacrifice to God be with a life of submission to His will. “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17). It is disastrous to fear man instead of the fear of God. Respect and honor man but let the fear of God resides in you.     

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