Respect

The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit, if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences. Proverbs 9:10-12

Being a Christian in name only is not wise, living with a healthy fear of The Lord, is wise.

What is a fear of The Lord? Is God all about being a big ogre? No! Our God is all about love and relationship. The word fear here has to do with respect and honour.

Let me give an example. Last night I met with a family to help the daughter, the apple of her parent's eye, take out superannuation. This girl is 19, and her mother wants her to have her own financial planner and save responsibly.

As I sat talking to this family and questioning the daughter I recognized the best of both parents in the girl. She had a clear head, wisdom was already growing inside her.

The girl's father walked in, after returning from work, and was a little brusque and the daughter said to her mother, "why did dad look at me like that?" A young girl is sensitive to the emotions it of her family. I happened to catch the father's eye when he came in and saw a proud, loving father.

The girl's mother gave an explanation which helped the girl and when I was leaving they were all out the back of the house, as one, working together. When a family works together at relationship, there is unity. The father loves the daughter and she loves her father. She trusted in that love to overcome her emotion.

We have a father in our God who will not always behave as we think He should. Yet if we walk in relationship with Him and respect Him, knowing He loves us, we are safe in that love. It is when we do not know that safely and run away we come unstuck.

Wisdom declares, stay put and ride out the emotion, all will be revealed. Amen!