Putting Fear in its Place

Proverbs 29:25 says:

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

OK, I admit it. I have the fear of displeasing people. I was born with the people-pleasing gene. In other words, I don't think it's something I consciously seek out to do everyday; it's just part of who I am. People-pleasing people are some of the nicest people you know. They're the ones that take on extra work because they can't say no (out of fear of displeasing someone). They also always tend to agree with at least some part of every argument (again, for fear of someone thinking badly of them, which would lead to them being displeased). Some of you are reading this, thinking that you know someone like this or that maybe even you are that person! I have learned that the fear of displeasing others puts you in bondage to them, because they become your primary focus instead of God. So my prayer today for myself and others like me is that we would seek to please God, putting Him as our primary focus for everything we do. This is where He belongs and nothing else. For He alone deserves this honor.