In review of Isaiah 51:12 it says, “The Lord says, ‘I am the one who strengthens you. Why should you fear mortals, who are no more enduring than grass?’”
Bottom Line:
God is the one who provides comfort. There is no need to fear man who will end up drying up and dying like grass.
What this means to me:
God says that he is the one who comforts me and gives me joy. Why should I be afraid of or fear mere humans. After all they are nothing more than grass that is here one day and then withers and dies.
Today's verse comes from Isaiah chapter 51. In Isaiah writes about our call in trusting the Lord. He speaks on behalf of God our Father who tells us, "Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance, all who seek the Lord! who we came from. The Lord will comfort his people. His mercy and justice are coming soon. While everything on this earth will pass away, God's righteous rule will never end. God's righteousness itself will last forever, and his salvation will continue from generation to generation. After all God is the one who comforts us. Given this why are we afraid of mere humans who wither like the grass and disappear? Yet we tend to forget the Lord, our Creator.
One way I can learn to overcome the fear of rejection, is by keeping the right perspective in mind. While I can listen to the opinions of others, I should never overvalue what they say.
In our verse today, Isaiah is indicating that our life here on Earth is only temporary, so why be afraid of other people’s opinions? Other people are not God, and their actual opinions will not last. The secret to success is to outlast my critics.
Isaiah indicates that if mortal men put me down, don’t worry about it. God’s opinion is the one that counts, and not theirs. Don’t assume that their judgments are infallible or straight from God. You don’t have to automatically accept someone’s criticism. You ought to judge it for what it’s worth.
If I allow people’s approval becomes all-important, then I’ll be setting myself up to fear rejection.
The Bible says, “In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 GNT) If you recognize how much God is for you, it gives you the ability to withstand tremendous rejection.
For some people, all that matters is popularity, fame, or applause. “What do other people think of me? How do I look to everybody else? Image is everything!”
If I live that way, then I’m at the mercy of everybody else’s judgments. If they think I’m a loser, I must be a loser! If they think I’m a dork, I must be a dork! This is no way to live.
God never intended for you to live that way. He says, “What are you listening to them for? They’re just mortal men. I’m the one that counts. They are no more enduring than grass.”
Paul said his goal in life was to please God, not men: “Does this sound as if I am trying to win human approval? No indeed! What I want is God’s approval! Am I trying to be popular with people? If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
He says I have a choice. I can choose whether I’m going to live for the applause of God or the applause of men.
Who are you more interested in pleasing? The crowd or God? Paul indicates that I can’t seek the approval of both at the same time. So I’ll just have to decide who I want to impress. Just remember whose applause is “no more enduring than grass.”
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