Walking with the Wise #188: The Right Fear

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.”

—Proverbs 14:27

At his first inaugural speech on March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said these now famous words, “The only things we have to fear is fear itself.” And while true in most contexts, there is a fear that far transcends any fear we may have of fear—the fear of God. The Bible talks a great deal about the “fear of the Lord” because it is the first fear that should be greater than all other fears. We know that we are fearful creatures—fearful of what others may think of us, fearful of failure, fearful of rejection, humiliation, etc. We have a great propensity to fear, which is probably why the most often repeated command in Scripture is “fear not!”

It sounds strange, but we were made to fear, because fear, at its root, gives us a clear indication of living and helps us to understand what’s good and what’s bad. Take an electrician for example. He is to have a healthy fear of electricity. If he does not maintain his healthy fear of electricity, then he is in danger of getting injured, or worse—killed. It is his fear that enables him to do his job properly. Or think of your children for a moment. When they are little, they lack the understanding of what is going on in the world. It is our loving fear that helps keep them safe and causes us to shout out when they begin running for a road of busy traffic.

The problem that most of us have is not fear—but misplaced fear. We fear the wrong things. We fear the things that really have no bearing on who we are, but seriously affect how we behave. We must learn to fear God more than men, because it is God to whom we have to give an account, not man. That’s why the proverb says, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.” If we are fearful of God first above all other fears, then we will be motivated to pursue the paths of life and lead other people to life, just as a fountain is meant to be drank from and give life to many. The fear of the Lord then is “the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding”—Psalm 111:10.

When our fear of the Lord is in the proper place, everything else falls into place. Others will see us and follow suit, which will help turn others away from the deadly pursuits of sin and self, and to the risen Savior.

Fear is a wonderful motivator, but insufficient when by itself. It must be buttressed with love. Love and fear go hand and hand when it comes to knowing, loving, and obeying God. Yes, it is true that,

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love”—1 John 4:18.

But this fear does not remove the fear of the Lord, but is the fear of the final judgment (cf. 1 John 4:17). God’s perfect love, demonstrated through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, enables us to cast out the fear and wrath of God’s eternal punishment, assures us forgiveness, glory and eternal life for all of those who come to Him in faith.

What is your greatest fear? Is it a fear of man? Fear of pain? Fear of loss? There is no greater pain or loss than that which will be experienced by those who die without Christ. I pray that each person who reads this might have a proper motivation of fear—the right fear because it will be a fountain of life, and enable others who see the fear within and through us, to escape the snares of death, experiencing the joy of knowing Christ. As the Bible says, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments!”—Psalm 112:1.

Amen.