Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.”—Proverbs 29:25
Many people live in bondage of fear and anxiety of what other people may think. With the onslaught of social media, it is easy to see why so many get sucked into that mentality. You worry and say to yourself, “What will people think if they really KNEW me?” That is exactly what Satan wants. He knows that if he can paralyze you with dread and doubt, that you won’t feel adequate to do God’s work.
I’ve been knitting for fifteen years and just the thought of making a pair of socks gives me anxiety. Really, any pattern that looks complicated to me, gives me reason to ditch it and do something that I consider easy.
I went to a knitting show a few years ago and saw a booth for the organization Knitted Knockers. I looked at the pattern, which requires a size US 4 or US 5 knitting needle. I am all about big needle quick knitting, so anything below a size US 7, has me running the other direction. Which means, I didn’t pick up the pattern to try it.
After reading a Facebook post from two sisters diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks apart, I thought, “I will reach out to them to see if either of them would like a pair of these." If they were interested, I was was going to trust God to give me the confidence to make them. I have been praying for them both since I read each of their posts, but knew this was a way I could tangibly show them that I truly cared about them and their diagnosis.
Because they both said, “Yes,” it could no longer be a thought but now something I must take action in doing. There is now an easier version with a video tutorial, so there was no reason I couldn't tackle this. Fortunately for the two of them, these are something that are tucked away in the bra, so if they aren’t perfect, it’s not like anyone is going to notice.
Just as with this knitting project, I have to choose to not let the mindset of what people think impede my trust in God. If God is leading me to do something, I can’t let what people may think about me stop me from doing it. As silly as it may sound, I felt God impress on my heart to make these Knitted Knockers. It was time for me to replace, "I can’t do this because everyone else’s will look better than mine," to, "I can do this because God will guide my hands."
Whether it is a knitting project that God may be calling you to do or something as simple as telling someone you are praying for them, you can't let the fear of what the recipient will think, stop you from doing it. I am at a point in my life where I am more worried about how God will feel when I ignore His nudges than what a person thinks about me for following God's call.
LORD, help me to listen to Your promptings and not fear what others may think about me. I know that if You are in it, that I can trust that You are with me every step of the way. Amen!
Will you join me for the month of October in memorizing, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.”—Proverbs 29:25
Please check out my "Mission" tab about the Knitted Knockers organization and how you can help support them. Also be praying for those you know that have breast cancer, are in the midst of treatments and those that are survivors.
In addition to knitting these, I will also make the pink breast cancer awareness washcloths featured in the above photo attaching a tag to it to distribute this month.