When People Are Big and God is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man

by Edward T. Welch

Tags: isolation, loneliness, codependency, emotional problems, trust issues

Quotes:

“We are more concerned about looking stupid (a fear of people) than we are about acting sinfully (a fear of God).”

“The massive interest in self-esteem and self-worth exists because it is trying to help us with a real problem. The problem is that we really are not okay. There is no reason why we should feel great about ourselves. We truly are deficient. The meager props of the self-esteem teaching will eventually collapse as people realize that their problem is much deeper. The problem is, in part, our nakedness before God.”

“The fear of man is no respecter of persons. It might be called codependency by adults, peer pressure with teens, and shyness with children, but whatever it is called, it all betrays the same idolatrous heart.”

“1. We fear people because they can expose and humiliate us. 2. We fear people because they can reject, ridicule, or despise us.

3. We fear people because they can attack, oppress, or threaten us. These three reasons have one thing in common: they see people as “bigger” (that is, more powerful and significant) than God, and, out of the fear that creates in us, we give other people the power and right to tell us what to feel, think, and do.”

“The gospel is only available to people who know they are unclean.”