IS THIS VERSE ON YOUR FRIDGE?
Proverbs 22:4 NLT
4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
I am sure I have done a devotional about this verse before. But it is such a great promise. My question is, why is it not on every fridge? I mean, this is what people are working for, wishing for, and dreaming about. And the proverbs written by Solomon, who had supernatural wisdom and insight is telling us how to achieve riches, honor, and life.
Maybe the riches part throws people off. Like it’s okay to pursue living right, but pursuing riches can lead to problems. And that is partially true. The love of riches and abundance can certainly lead to problems, and greed is a root of all kinds of trouble. But one can have riches and not love them. Maybe if we substitute abundance for riches, it would sound less greedy. Even the first verse of this chapter says a good name is better than great riches. I think the challenge lies in what we are ultimately after, and yet the first part of verse four is telling us what to pursue. Pursue humility and the fear of the Lord. By looking to develop true humility and a deep reverence for God, the riches and honor and life come. It’s a package that begins with the right attitude toward ourselves and the right attitude toward God.
True humility is not a low self-esteem. It is not saying we are weak, worthless individuals. God would not send His Son to die for worthless individuals. Humility is understanding who we truly are. We are made in God’s image and called to become more and more Christ-like. Humility recognizes what God has done for us. So humility lifts God up above self. God is greater, smarter, and more worthy of our time and attention than anything we have going. True humility has a healthy self-perception because of what God has done. But true humility does not think of itself as above others. And God gives grace to the humble. God’s grace is His power on our behalf. Humility is a good thing.
Fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord is a reverence for God, holding God in the highest respect and esteem. A reverence that governs our words and our actions. Solomon said by the fear of the Lord a person departs from evil. There is much more to the fear of the Lord; books have been written on the subject. But having a reverence for God is never going to be a bad thing. It is not something we’ll look back on and wish we had never gotten into.
Humility and the fear of the Lord. These two things produce good things in us and good things for us: riches and honor and long life!
PRAYER
Lord, show me from Your word and Your Holy Spirit what humility and the fear of You will look like in my life.