October 9, 2024 – Fear And Respect

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Fear And Respect
October 9, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 24:20-23
 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Fear and respect—two aspects of life that seem to have diverged in contemporary society. These two concepts appear to have little in common these days.

    Fear is typically a reaction to something we’re afraid of, but there’s also a reverential fear associated with respecting someone or something’s power. For example, I don’t fear light switches and wall sockets, but I hold a respectful fear for the potential dangers of mishandling electricity. Consequently, we make efforts to minimize fear’s role in our lives.

    Respect has also undergone changes. In our emphasis on self-esteem, we’ve elevated the importance of self while diminishing respect for those in authority. Society encourages us to view everyone as equals, where no one has authority over another. This approach has eroded the respect we should have for figures like police officers, government leaders, clergy, and even God Himself.

    Though all people are equal in God’s eyes, with no distinctions based on race, group, or gender within His kingdom or church, the Bible teaches us to fear the LORD and the king. This means we should respect and revere the Lord because He is God and the Creator of the universe. Additionally, the Bible emphasizes the importance of respecting authority figures because God ultimately controls their appointments.

    Today’s verses say, “meddle not with them that are given to change.” This doesn’t imply that we should never seek change but rather that we should respect and support godly leadership. We should elect individuals with strong moral character and then pray for them, trusting in God’s judgment and sovereignty over us.     

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Thank the Lord today for those He has placed in authority over you. Pray for them by name, asking God to grant them godly wisdom in their leadership. Trust that God is still on the throne and have faith that He knows what He is doing.

Who in leadership will you pray for today?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

GOD TALKING TO ME: October 9, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Mark 1 – Mark 3
  Proverbs 24:20 – 23

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Isa. 20-24
  Phil. 1

Author: admin

Author of LIHW Daily Devotions, and President of Living In His Word Ministries.