End the Scarcity Cycle

Pop songs are filled with lyrics about people - often about the fact that we find light in other people. Debby Boone sang, “You light up my life.” Stevie wonder topped the charts with, “You are the Sunshine of my Life.” We hear all these songs about light and life, but here’s the problem: If other people are your light and life, you’re in trouble! Why? Because other people burn out, wear out and die out. They’re not reliable and they can’t be the ultimate source of our light and life. Still, we are drawn to find our worth in other people and fear rejection from them. The fear of rejection is one of our deepest human fears. Biologically wired with a desire to belong, we fear being seen in a critical way. We’re anxious about the prospect of being cut off, demeaned, or isolated. We fear being alone. We dread change. We are addicted to approval. The Bible has a name for this need for this need for the approval of others: the fear of man. Fear is any kind of awe and reverence that causes us to subject ourselves to something or someone else. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Approval addiction isn’t new to our image-crazed society or modern media - far from it! God wrote about it long ago because so many suffer the same addiction. King Herod was a man of great stature and accomplishment, yet he caved to the crowd. Nervously biting his nails reading opinion polls, he had John the Baptist axed and let Jesus be killed. Herod’s life is a great example to us, not because of his power, but because of his fear. His weakness teaches us the indispensable wisdom that no matter how great one’s position (or how low), no one is immune to peer pressure. Tune in as we reflect on how we can say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, I will fear no one” (Psalm 27:1) and be empowered to stand by the convictions God places within us, rather than relying on other people to be our source of light and our life.

Scripture References: Luke 6:14-29

From Series: Indispensable | More Messages from Rebecca Inglis | Download Audio

From Series: "Indispensable"

Seven pieces of indispensable wisdom from the bible.