The Primacy of Fear

Proverbs 2:5 (KJV) Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Fear really gets a bad rap in our culture.  We overlook the fact that a reasonable fear is what keeps us out of a lot of tragic situations.  And on a more superficial level, I wonder how many traffic tickets I have not gotten simply because I’m afraid of getting a traffic ticket.  But this fear is on a higher level.

This fear involves a relatively accurate assessment of who God is and what He expects.  It involves the love which is in his character.  It is a key factor and that is why time and time again in Proverbs we find the fact that so much is dependent upon the fear of God.  Substitute what you want.  Call it awe.  Call reverence.  Call respect.  Most Bible translators like the word fear

So?  Fear God.  Define it anyway you want.  But in the mist of your fear, don’t forget that God is love, God is light, God is a spirit, and Jesus died for you.