Proverbs | A 31-Day DevotionalSample

Start with Respect - Proverbs 1

The fear of the Lord is a consistent theme in the Bible. It doesn’t mean to cower and shrink back. It simply means respect. I respected my Dad because he was smart and funny, worked hard, and was consistently good and faithful to my mom and our family. He was pretty strict, and I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I wasn’t afraid of him in an unhealthy way. The fear of the Lord means to have respect for the things of God – His Ways. His Word. His Church. When I respect the things of God, it means I admire and trust God and, ultimately, follow His advice.

Proverbs 1:7 teaches us that respecting and admiring the Lord is the starting point. That respect, admiration, and honor positions us to know what to do in any given situation. Reach out to God today and pursue His knowledge and wisdom. He created you, and He knows what’s best for you. As the verse above says, it would be foolish to disrespect God’s ways. Push aside any unhealthy fear you have of the Lord, any fear you have of following His ways, and develop a new respect and admiration for Him. He does not disappoint.

“Father, thank you that I can trust you with my whole life. I love and respect you, and I need your wisdom for all ahead of me.”