The Christian life is full of choices.
Every day we decide whose voice we will listen to.
Will we live according to God’s Word?
Or will we become controlled by the opinions, expectations and actions of other people?
The Bible gives a clear answer.
Proverbs 29:25 says:
“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
A snare is a trap. It catches someone who isn’t expecting it.
One of Satan’s greatest weapons is using the fear of people to distract believers from following Christ wholeheartedly.
Not Every Motive Is Pure
Jesus taught His followers to be:
“wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
That means Christians should be loving—but they should also exercise discernment.
Most people who send a friend request on Facebook simply want friendship.
But Christians should remember that not every motive is necessarily the same.
Sometimes a person may want access to another person’s Facebook profile for reasons other than genuine friendship.
They may wish to:
- learn about their personal life
- discover their struggles
- see who they spend time with
- observe what they believe
- gather information they would never otherwise know
In some situations, information can later be used to influence conversations, shape opinions, or create misunderstanding.
This is not unique to churches—it can happen in workplaces, politics, families, businesses, or any social setting.
The Bible repeatedly encourages believers to exercise wisdom regarding motives without becoming suspicious of everyone.
Discernment is not the same as fear.
Wisdom Doesn’t Mean Distrust
The answer is not to fear everyone.
Nor is it to believe everyone has bad intentions.
Instead, Scripture teaches us to be wise.
A Christian should ask:
- Does this friendship honour Christ?
- Does it encourage me in my walk with God?
- Is this relationship built upon honesty and love?
True Christian friendship seeks to strengthen one another—not to gather information for influence or control.
The Fear of Man Is a Trap
If someone discovers that others have been talking about them behind closed doors, collecting information, or speaking about them while they are absent, the natural reaction can be fear.
Questions quickly arise.
“What are they saying?”
“What do they think about me?”
“Will people believe them?”
“Should I defend myself?”
That is exactly where Proverbs speaks.
The fear of man lays a snare.
If our confidence depends upon people’s opinions, we become trapped.
We begin living for their approval rather than God’s approval.
But Whoever Trusts in the Lord Is Safe
God offers a completely different foundation.
Instead of trusting people, He calls us to trust Him.
When our confidence rests in Christ:
- gossip loses its power
- criticism loses its control
- rejection loses its sting
- manipulation loses its influence
Our security comes from knowing God rather than from being accepted by everyone else.
Like a Tree Planted by Water
Jeremiah 17:7-8 paints one of the most beautiful pictures in Scripture.
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
God compares that believer to a tree planted beside flowing water.
Even when heat comes…
it stays green.
Even during drought…
it keeps drawing life from its roots.
Even when conditions become difficult…
it continues producing fruit.
That is what trust in God produces. Here is an illustration to help you understand.
What Is the Fruit?
The fruit God looks for is not popularity.
It is not influence.
It is not winning every argument.
It is a life transformed by Christ.
Fruit includes:
- Justice
- Kindness
- Faithfulness
- Witnessing for Christ
- Planting Gospel seeds
- Encouraging others
- Serving the local church
- Blessing people
- Loving enemies
- Remaining faithful through trials
Most importantly…
His life brings glory to God.
That is the purpose of every believer.
Not to make a name for themselves.
But to honour the Lord.
Keep Following Christ
Throughout history faithful believers have been misunderstood.
Some have been criticised.
Some have been falsely accused.
Some have experienced rejection.
Yet they continued following Christ because their confidence was in God rather than people.
They refused to allow fear to stop them bearing fruit.
The Lesson
Be loving.
Be gracious.
Be wise.
Exercise discernment in your relationships, both online and offline.
Remember that not every invitation or friendship may have the same motive—but don’t allow that reality to make you fearful or cynical.
Instead, place your confidence where Scripture tells us to place it:
In the Lord.
When your roots are in Christ, you will continue to bear fruit regardless of what people say or do.
As Proverbs 29:25 reminds us:
“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
And as Jeremiah 17 teaches, the one who trusts in the Lord becomes like a tree planted by the water—steadfast, fruitful, and always bringing glory to God.