Some fail to submit to a command(s) of God because of rejection they might receive from others. John 12:42 speaks of some among the chief rulers who believed on Jesus, “but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” Verse 43 goes on to point out that “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
Anytime we allow fear of how someone else will react come between us and God, we send the message to Him that we love the praise of others more than the praise of God.
Jesus stated “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37), implying that being His disciple often involves making choices that angers others. If we fail to do what God demands of us for fear of what others will think, Jesus says we are not worthy of Him. May we avoid this pitfall and surrender fully to God. As the apostle Paul said, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
– Michael Hickox