September 9

Fear Has Its Place

Blessed is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. — Prov 28:14 BSB

The fear of the Lord is the beginning and foundation of all true faith. Without a deep respect and awe for God, there is no firm ground for other virtues to grow. A person who doesn’t worship God will never live a holy life.

Blessed is the one who has a healthy fear of doing wrong. Holy fear doesn’t just look before it leaps—it looks before it even moves. It’s afraid of making mistakes, afraid of neglecting responsibilities, and afraid of falling into sin. It avoids bad company, reckless talk, and questionable decisions. This kind of fear doesn’t make a person miserable; it brings happiness. A watchful guard is happier than the soldier who falls asleep on duty. The one who sees danger ahead and avoids it is happier than the one who walks carelessly into trouble and is destroyed.

The fear of God is a peaceful grace that guides a person along a safe path, a path where “no lion will be, nor any ravenous beast.” Fear of even the appearance of evil is a purifying force that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, helps a person keep their soul clean from the world’s stains. Solomon tried both worldliness and holy fear—he found vanity in one and happiness in the other. Let’s not repeat his experiment but trust his conclusion.