The Fear of the Lord

For Thursday, April 24, 2008
Proverbs 31:28-31

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

In the praise of the wife by her husband and children, we learn the real source of her virtues. She is a person "who fears the Lord." And so the end of Proverbs leads us back to the beginning: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." (1:7).

Do you desire to possess the wisdom of Proverbs? Then fear the Lord. You may study philosophy; you may gain much experience; you may learn from many wise people. But if you do not fear the Lord, you remain a common fool.

For the Lord is your Maker. You exist and continue to be sustained in life by him. He has made you for himself, to glorify him. To live without this knowledge is to live in ignorance and purposelessly.

And the Lord is the one Redeemer. Others may save you from foolish choices and from wicked people, but only the Lord can save you from your sinfulness. To live "wisely" in this world and yet die in your sinful state is the greatest folly of all. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can save you from such a fate.

As we have learned from Proverbs, the Lord will judge the wicked. Because he is righteous and just, he will not let sin go unpunished. As we have learned, he sees everyone and everything. Fear the Lord.

Fear the Lord and know the joy of that fear. For it brings blessing. It lifts one's eyes to the glories of God; it puts our lives in true perspective so that we see God's holiness and majesty which humbles us. It then fills us with the wonder of God's mercy and love. And so we are then moved and enabled to live wisely as this excellent wife. And so we are to know even the more amazing praise that will be given us from the Lord whom we fear on the Day of his return - "Well done, good and faithful servant... Enter into the joy of your Master" (Matthew 25:21).