Jeremiah 1:17
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
The verse is a command to get ready, to get up, and to speak out everything that God commands, holding nothing back. It forbids being dismayed or intimidated by the faces of those who listen and oppose. Fear of people must not be allowed to turn the speaker aside from duty. Giving way to such fear will leave him confounded before those very people. It therefore calls for faithful and courageous speech in the face of opposition, resting on divine commission and protection. It also brings comfort and support to keep on serving when rejection and sadness threaten to bring discouragement.