Read it: Proverbs 1:7
As a kid growing up in the Evans household, it's safe to say that I had a fear of my father. I don’t mean that I was scared of him, but I do mean that I highly respected him. Whenever I was disobedient, whether in school or at home, I knew that not only would my father be disappointed in me, but that I would also be reprimanded for my actions.
I never wanted to disappoint my dad because I valued our relationship, but I also didn’t want to be reprimanded for my actions because of the pain! I quickly realized that doing things my own way without first getting instructions from my father was not a good idea. I learned that respecting my dad while skipping his instruction was not respecting him at all.True respect and reverence for my father would mean going to him upfront to receive the knowledge that I needed in order to apply to the decisions that I was making.
When I began to operate this way, people would say, "For a young kid, you are wise beyond your years." However, I knew on the inside that I was just a regular kid with a very wise father.
Fearing or respecting God does not mean that you just say that you respect Him. It is not displayed by simply going to church on Sunday or having an occasional Bible study. Neither is it displayed by simply feeling that you respect Him or by participating in a lot of religious activities. It does mean; however, that you go to Him FIRST! It means that your entire mentality is derived off of His mentality. It means that your goal is to not take any steps in life that are outside of the instruction given by Him. It means that your Father in heaven has the only say and the final say over every area of your life.
Many people will claim that they have a fear or respect for their Father in heaven while they simultaneously skip his instructions. Yet if you fear God, He will become the beginning of all of your knowledge. He will be FIRST. And then people will say to you that, "You are wise beyond your years.”
But that's when you can reply, " I am just a kid with a very wise Father."
For information on how to book Jonathan Evans for your next event, visit PremiereSpeakers.com/Christian/Jonathan_Evans.
Think about it:
Do you respect Him or do you RESPECT Him?