Parenting by the Book
STUDY 15
Text: Proverbs 14:26
7 October 2001
THE CONCEPT OF “THE FEAR OF THE LORD”
Dear Parents,
“IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD THERE IS STRONG CONFIDENCE” PROVERBS 14:26
The fear of the Lord has many wonderful practical ramifications. One of them has to do with the fact that the person who fears the Lord has “strong confidence”. How does this work out?
1. When a person fears no one but the Lord, he finds that he is indeed “strong and courageous”. Only when a person fears people does he actually find his confidence weakening. He who tries to please everybody, because he fears offending people will never have strong confidence in his life.
2. When a person fears the Lord, he finds that he will be greatly blessed with confidence indeed. This is because the Lord will honour him for his faith and trust in Him.
3. When a person fears the Lord, he finds that he becomes even more single-minded. He is thus able to approach life with that much more confidence.
It is important that we teach our children to have strong confidence. Then they will be able to face life with so much more power. However, we must be sure that their source of confidence is in the Lord and not in themselves.
OTHER “SOURCES” OF CONFIDENCE
Some people speak of finding confidence through taking liquor. Strong drinks will never provide strong confidence. Let’s make sure that our children do not learn the wrong lessons.
Some others try and teach their children to find confidence in themselves! While this may sound plausible, sometimes children are just not able to find confidence in themselves at all. At other times, children can end up being really cocky or even arrogant.
The Lord’s Word still provides the very best answer! Let us teach our children how to fear the Lord. He will Himself give them strong confidence.
“AND HIS CHILDREN WILL HAVE A PLACE OF REFUGE” PROVERBS 14:26
There will be times when the greatest sense of confidence can be shaken. Failures can come. Adversities can arise. Endless problems can emerge and confidence can be badly shaken!
When a person has learned to fear the Lord, he finds that his faith in God becomes a place of refuge. When a person’s confidence is badly shaken, he can regain his confidence through dwelling upon the Lord. It is in and through resting in the Lord, and waiting for Him that full confidence will be restored! There is so much more to the concept of the fear of the Lord than meets the eye.
Teach this “fear of the LORD” concept to our children faithfully and we will see our children greatly blessed indeed. They will have both strong confidence and a place of refuge as their reward.
Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie