Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

“The fear of the Lord.” That is a phrase used over three hundred times in Scripture! In Proverbs, “the fear of the Lord” is found eleven times, and the command to “fear the Lord” is found four times. So, what does this fear of God mean? And how do we teach this truth to our children? 

Martin Luther, the great reformer, struggled with the idea of fearing the Lord. He had learned about God’s grace and mercy. How could fearing God fit into God’s great love? Luther made a distinction between what he called servile fear and filial fear. Servile fear is what the prisoner in a torture chamber feels towards their torturer or executioner. This terror and dread are experienced when the captive is in a posture of submission to an evil person. 

Filial fear (a Latin word for family) is the healthy respect a child has for their loving parents. The child loves their mom and dad and wants to please them. The child’s fear of offending their parents is not based on punishment but rather on not wanting to offend the ones who are their source of security and love. 

So, when we read in Scripture that we should live in fear of the Lord, it means that we are to live in awe and respect for our heavenly Father, who demonstrated his great love to us by sending his Son to die for our sins. We live in awe of his love, his greatness, and his power. 

Father, help me live today in fear of you. Not with dread or terror, but in great awe and respect for your love. Help me grasp my love for you and show my children and grandchildren the security it brings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Before we wrap up today, take the next sixty seconds to thank God for his great love for you and the security you have because of Jesus.