The Fear of God
As I look around our world today, I see such little personal responsibility for mistakes made and wrongs done. Everyone is either certain that someone will bail them out from their predicament or that they can blame someone else for their failures. As a Christian, of course, I’m grateful for grace, which comes in my time of need, just after I’ve fallen flat on my face. However, I wonder if Christians and non-Christians alike have forgotten about the natural consequences of sin and our personal accountability to God.
For example, if I’ve lived beyond my means and wracked up heavy debts, it really doesn’t matter, because I can file for bankruptcy. And while I’m at it, I’m going to blame all those credit card companies and banks who never should have given me loans in the first place. It saddens me to see that we have lost our desire to do things right the first time.
I am in the process of trying to teach teenage students about personal responsibility. It’s not your family’s fault you didn’t get your work done and it’s not your teacher’s fault you didn’t put forth the effort to learn the material. You can’t blame your failure on a job or a broken computer. Somewhere, there has to be a sense of ownership of personal mistakes.
Solomon, the wisest man on earth, said that the beginning of wisdom was the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 1)
As I bemoan our current condition in America and attempt to teach my own children about responsibility, it occurs to me that the root of the problem lies in our relationship to God. Whether Christian or not, we have lost our fear of God.
Respect for authority has diminished in general as our view of God has become more common and less Awesome. Solomon didn’t necessarily mean that we should live our lives cowering in front of God, but that we should have a holy respect for His laws and His expectations. Our lives are lived in front of His eyes and we should desire to do everything in a way that pleases Him. Someday each of us will stand before Him, all alone, and take responsibility for each of our actions here on earth.
Living in the fear of God sweetens our experience of God’s grace and gives grace a higher value.
Amen dear one.
I have set your blog to come to my Google reader. I don’t always read it on the day you post, but today I did. I want to add an AMEN to your comments. We live in a dime when, as Christians, it is necessary to be purposeful in our walk with the Lord. I too, teach young people. They are the next generation and must be impressed to realize the importance of the fear of the Lord and their responsibility and accountability to Him. All of us, will either press deeper into the Lord, His purpose and His Spirit or risk being swept into the foolishness of this world. God forbid! Keep preaching my sister.
Wonderful Word for us today. We see more and more in our society the lack of responsibility, we have become way too laid back with our discipline, not only disciplining our children from doing wrong but most cases the acorn don’t fall far from the tree! -blessings, Laurie
Those were words I needed to read. I am a substitute teacher and I am concerned about the children I have taught. I can not blame anyone but myself in not communicating about their responsibilities. Next school year I plan to change to help any student I come in contact with. Joyce