Don’t Let Fear of Judgment Hold You Back

When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. 2 Samuel 6:16

Sometimes we worry more about what other people think than we do about what God thinks. Michal in the Bible was guilty of that.

Michal was the daughter of the former King Saul, and she was married to King David. She probably learned at an early age that she was special, different from the “common” people. Some with this kind of privilege might have grown up seeing their position as an honor and used it to help others. But Michal was caught up in appearances, and she missed out on an opportunity to do real good.

As the ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the city, the people of Israel celebrated with singing and dancing and shouting. And leading the whole party was King David, who had shed his stuffy royal clothes and was rejoicing and praising God with all of his might.

And Michal’s reaction? I am so embarrassed. He’s humiliating me! What will everyone think of my immature husband?

Michal had a chance to join in to lead the people of the city in worshiping God. She could have been a part of a royal worship service! But Michal didn’t get it. What David did in pure worship of the Lord, Michal saw as undignified. God was pleased with David, and the people of Israel witnessed David’s passionate, sincere display of thanks to the Lord.

We all can be like Michal. Sometimes we spend way too much time thinking about how we appear to others. If we worship God in the way he deserves, we might look ridiculous to some people, but so what? Passionate people often come across as fools, while others play it safe. They’re so busy keeping up appearances that they miss truly worshiping God from the heart and maybe influencing others to do the same.

Reflect

Do you approach worship with the passion of David — or do you worry about how you look to others? Are you more concerned with being regal than you are with being real before God?

Prayer

Dear God, I will celebrate you  with all my heart. And I will not be ashamed to praise your name. Amen.

Drawn from a character profile in the NIV True Images Bible.