Kingdom Ready Blog

The twelfth chapter of Luke speaks volumes about the contrast between fearing God and being plagued by wrong fears. After exhorting believers to not fear people (who are merely capable of killing the body) but rather to fear God (whose authority includes the judgment of eternal death), Jesus clarified what fearing God means in day to day living. For example, believers should not fear that their lives are not valuable to God.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6,7) 

I once thought that fearing God involved a totally different quality of fear than experiencing other fears. Later, it seemed to me that fearing God differed from other fears mainly in regard to the object of one’s fear. Now I believe that a balanced approach to “the fear of the Lord” would require a thoughtful consideration of both of these factors.

“I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who,  after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell (Gehenna); yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4,5)

When one reads the first few verses of the First Epistle of John, one can get a marvelous glimpse of God’s heart for us in communicating the logos, His expressed message which reveals His plan. We are invited to enjoy a life-giving message that can be experientially realized now, while giving us a breathtaking view of perfect life to be inherited in the age to come.

One can imagine what an ideal family situation might be like for a three- year old, the youngest of several children. The parents have matured in knowledge and wisdom with the challenge of raising each child. All around can see that these parents have been extremely devoted to nurturing and loving each child with tenderness and honesty. This particular three- year old has grown up in a household in which every provision exists for his maximum potential to grow and develop physically, mentally, and spiritually. The intervention of the parents to correct any wrong behaviors is always done thoughtfully with the child’s best interests at heart. Though the child does not always understand or like certain experiences when disciplined, he truly learns to be responsible for behavioral growth appropriate for a three- year old due to the wise, loving supervision of mature, committed parents. Of course, the wisdom of the parents is vastly superior to that of the child.