The Fear of the Lord

Psalm 34:11 KJV
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

As parents it is our duty to teach our children about the Lord. It is our job to teach them everything honestly: how to walk, talk, eat, bathe, make friends, cook, clean, balance a checkbook, pay bills… The tasks get more complicated as the child grows older, but the responsibility never changes. We are to ensure the following generation can function and prosper in society. If we neglect our duty to teach our children to fear the Lord, then we have failed miserably.

I remember when I was very young asking my mom where light came from and her response was to grab a Bible and read me the first chapter of Genesis. My mom didn’t give her heart to Christ until just before her passing, but she had a fear (or reverence or respect) of the Lord all throughout my life. Growing up popping in and out of several churches, but never having a true grounding in scripture, it was the fear of God that kept a hook in me spiritually.

At 19, I gave my heart to Christ when I finally hit “bottom.” Bottom looks different for everyone, but if it can be avoided I never want my own children to hit that point. I would much rather their testimony be that they served God all their lives and Satan was never able to gain a foothold.

The only way to make that hope a reality is to teach my children to fear the Lord as David did. Interestingly, David did well in teaching at least one of his children. His son Solomon (the wisest man to ever live, save Jesus) said:

Proverbs 9:10 KJV
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.