Thirty Sterling Principles, Part 6

Proverbs 23:17-18 give us the 14^th sterling principle. I liked the way The Message put it, but I also liked the way The Amplified Bible said it. Both are quoted below for you:

The Message: “Don’t for a minute envy careless rebels; soak yourself in the Fear-of-God – That’s where your future lies. Then you won’t be left with an armload of nothing.”

The Amplified: “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is a latter end [a future and a reward], and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.”

I especially like the idea of “soaking” in the Fear-of-God. What does that look like? I wondered about that for quite a while until I decided to look up the verses in different versions of the Bible. That’s when I found The Amplified versions explanation: soaking in the Fear-of-God is continuing in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all day long. Exactly how one does that is as individual a thing as there are people. For me, it means keeping an attitude of thankfulness in mind as I go about my day.

I’ve been doing a study on the Grace of God. One of the key things I’ve learned in this study is that it’s God’s grace that saved me and it’s God’s grace that allows me to live life now. Everything is by God’s grace. The Holy Spirit’s working in me on a day by day basis is part of the grace of God. Living my life, aware of God’s grace in everything I do and say is part of soaking in the Fear-of-God. It’s being in awe of Him and what He’s done for me and is doing for me each day.

I need a lot of help to soak in the Fear-of-God. It’s not something that comes naturally to me (or to anybody). I have to work at it. I have to involve myself in regular prayer and thanksgiving. I have to seek knowledge from God’s Word. I have to be open to the wise counsel from others. And I have to be willing to submit humbly to God’s instructions in my life. Sometimes I’m more willing than other times to involve myself in those four areas. If I want to follow this principle from Proverbs, I have to avail myself of as much of God as I can each and every day. I have to soak in the Fear-of-God.