Man Trouble

"Stop trusting in man,
   who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?" 
Isaiah 2:22

There is such a wealth of truth in the book of Isaiah that I can't seem to stop writing about it. The book is so insightful and prophetic that it speaks into our lives with the precision of a warrior's sword. This verse is one that cuts directly to the heart of the matter. God used Isaiah to let us know that there is no value in trusting in man. Yet we struggle with this very issue every day of our lives.
    It is not wrong to appreciate people. It is not wrong to have people pray for us and speak into our lives. It is not wrong to help other people or be helped by others. God placed us among humankind because we are family of sorts, all created by him to bring forth his kingdom and will upon the earth. So there is no issue with hanging out with people. The issue is when we begin to trust in them more than we trust in God.
    It is easy to trust in men. All through history, people have depended on strong or wealthy or powerful men. This prompted the psalmist to write: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." Obviously it is not just the horses and chariots they were trusting in, but the power that men had with these things at their disposal. We still trust in men today. We trust in financial institutions to help us with money. We trust in the government to protect us, provide for us, and give us a comfortable living environment. When we are in financial trouble, we often look to other people to bail us out. When we need advice, we ask others. None of these are problems within themselves. They become a problem when we look to people first, instead of seeking God. There is no blessing in getting help from men, but there is great blessing in receiving what we need from God.
    It is necessary for us to keep God first. The first commandment tells us that we are to have no other God before Him. I think we cannot make men gods. Our needs are supplied by God himself whether we recognize that fact or not. So let's give him the glory for what he has done. Let's look to him for our needs instead of running to men. Let's enjoy the favor of God. He may use people to help us, but the answer always comes from him. This change of thinking will draw us closer to God. We do not think as the world does, we do not bow to the basic principles of the world. We live under a different freedom. It is a freedom of blessing and refreshing that comes like a cool breeze from heaven. Look to God and avoid man trouble!