What God Fearing Means to Me!

What does it mean to be a “God-Fearing People”? Are we to fear God so much that we are afraid to approach Him? St. Paul has advised us to boldly go to the throne. (Hebrews 4:16 -approach the throne of grace with confidence). If we have FEAR of God, in the sense that the FEAR is so terrifying, then we can not “boldly go to the throne” or even believe that God is loving. Here is my explanation as to what “God-Fearing” means to me:

God has blessed me and my brothers with two wonderful parents. They both are firm as to what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. My father could just give us a look (not mean, not terrorizing, not hateful), but a look that told us he was the father and he knew what was better for us more than we did and we better not cross that. My father has never raised a hand against me or my youngest brother, but I did see him, only once, whip my oldest brother. That was all it took for my brother to change his behavior. My father never had to do that again. I believe that it was true for my father on that day, the saying, “It hurts me more than it does you.” My father did not like to do this sort of thing, but it was necessary at the time.

My father worked a lot. He made sure that his family was taken care of. He was always very loving to us. There were times that he would take us places and we would do things together. We always had a wonderful time. When I was a child, he use to let me stand on the tops of his feet and we would dance around the room. I loved him very much. He rescued me once from my mother’s old wringer washer. (A wringer washer was an old washing machine that the inside tub did not spin to wring the water out of the clothes. Instead, the wringer part was two rollers slipped together and the motor turned it and you used a stick to push the clothes in between the rollers to wring the water out.) My mother was washing clothes in the basement and when my mother left the basement, I decided to wash my doll clothes. When I used the stick to push the clothes in the wringer, the stick got stuck and I was holding on trying to pull it out. Before I knew it my arm was stuck in the wringer. I started screaming as loud as I could. The wringer just kept turning and turning on my arm. My daddy heard me and jumped the flight of the stairs. He did not run down them, he jumped from the top to the bottom. When He reached me, he unplugged the machine, popped the wringer, and got me out. He held me for the rest of the day. He was certainly my hero. I loved him with all my heart and I knew that I could trust him.

My mother cares deeply for her family. She was always very supportive of my father and they loved each other very much. I never saw or heard them argue. They seemed to have this magical way of working things out. My brothers and I are very thankful for that.

My mother always did wonderful things for us. She had beautiful dresses made for me. Easter was a special time for that. She would also let me invite friends over to spend the night. She would always join me and my friends. She told us some wonderful and funny stories. She would let me and my brothers invite our friends over when it snowed. We would go sleigh riding and she would make cookies and hot chocolate. She loved having our friends over. She is a wonderful mother.

My mother also had a way of letting us know that she knew what was better for us. She set no uncertain terms for using the “Rod of Correction”. I tell you, she did not have to use it often, but when she did, we knew we had better straighten up. At one time, when I was misbehaving, she had me bring her a switch. I thought that I would bring her a twig in hopes that she might find humor in that. SHE DIDN’T. I had to go get another one and it better be a good one. I did and got my little legs switched. I knew not to defy her.

My parents were not abusive people. They did not look for reasons to whip their children. They did not enjoy it. They would sit us down and tell us why they had to do that and that it was our responsibility to do what was right in order to live in a good world and to make a better world.

This was how my parents were taught to correct their children. Back then NO ONE was yelling abuse. And I tell you, that way for my parents was used in a loving way. It got our attention and we knew to listen. God says, “Spare the rod, spoil the child” and my parents truly believed that.

Pr 13:24 - He that spares his rod hates his son: But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Pr 22:15 - Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Pr 23:13 - Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Pr 23:14 - Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell

Pr 29:15 - The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.

(This is not saying to correct with hate in your heart or by loving and enjoying beating a child. This is abuse. There is a difference.)

My parents chastised us as children and we feared that as we were growing up, but it never caused us to hate them or resent them and it never caused them to hate or resent us. Instead we knew that they loved us and they certainly cared for us. Their chastisement caused us to be better people.

My brothers and I love our parents with all our hearts and we often thank God for giving them to us. Although we loved them, we also feared them and respected them. You see, my parents loved us enough to care what kind of people we should be that they were willing to chastise us and cared enough for us to SHOW they loved us in many wonderful ways.

My parents also taught us that we have a loving and caring God. He created us and we are His. They also taught us that God will lovingly chastise his people that do not obey His word. He is our Father; we are his Children. By fearing His chastisement, has caused us to be “God-Fearing People” and in looking at Him as our Father, helps us to respect, love, and honor Him. By fearing the Lord will help us to be better people, to live a better life, and to help make this world a better place.


Copyright © Brenda L. Stevens