Show Some Respect - Psalm 147:11

"The Lord values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love." I spend a lot of time around my house trying to teach my two toddlers to mind me. We still have a ways to go and I suspect that we will probably work on it through all their childhood and maybe through their teenage years as well!

Why do parents spend so much time, spend years, training their children to obey?

Is it because the parents want their children to be their little slaves?

Is it because parents want to feel powerful?

No! In fact, it's just the opposite. Parents want to empower their children to grow into well-adjusted people that understand the difference between right and wrong, between truth and lies, between good and evil, so that they can make right choices.

So when you teach your children to mind, you are teaching them to respect you and your judgment because you want what's best for them. It's the same thing with God. That's why we should show Him respect. That's why we should fear God. When we fear God, then, like obedient children, we better cooperate with God to implement His plans and purposes in our lives.

In the Book of Acts, Dr. Luke coupled the fear of the Lord with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. You need to possess and practice the former in order to receive the latter: "So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers" (Acts 9:31).

God places value on people who fear Him. They are special to Him. They are like obedient children. They rely on His omniscience to know what's best for their lives while living in this world.   

"If you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding...then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3,5).