Riches, Honor, and Life

Journaling

9/22/11

This morning I was meditating on Proverbs 22. Various verses stood out and land upon my spirit:

22:4 – The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life. I asked the Lord to share his thoughts and insights about these verses.

Humility is greatly honored in the Kingdom (let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus – Philippians 2:5). A humble man has a teachable spirit. He is slow to get angry, patient and kind. Meekness and humility are attitudes of the heart. What a man is really, is what is in his heart. Men can act out in the physical, but they cover their internal motivations. Most men regard physical strength, mental sharpness and prowess to be characteristics of a “real” man. But the Lord looks at the heart of a man. This is what he is really. A humble man has nothing to hide. He can be transparent with God, with those he loves, and with others around him.

The fear of the Lord is a quality of reverence and respect. It is reflected in faith and works. As a man humbles himself before Me, he is demonstrating the fear of the Lord. Willingness to receive instruction and grow from it are characteristics of this quality.

Riches both spiritual and physical – true provision

Honor: a man who walks in humility and the fear of the Lord is honored by God and by his fellowman. These are natural byproducts and fruit that will grow and reproduce.

Life: fulness of life, living it to the full—enjoying life and all it brings. Enjoy the creation, your family, and the blessing of friends. This kind of life is infectious. Others will come to your light.

Thank you Lord! Awesome insight.

22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. What would you say to me here, Lord?

Training is a very difficult challenge, because it requires consistency and devotion. Many leave the training of their sons and daughters to others, to tutors and governors. But really, your children should be your delight and training them “in the way” should become a central focus of their growth years. Busyness and other stresses can often short-circuit the training process. As a father, make sure sons and daughters are taught the Living Word of God. Show them by example how to trust Me. Often a child has more spiritual insight and wisdom then adults, simply because his faith is pure and there is not a history of unbelief that has to be overcome.

Lay a strong foundation in the early years, and your sons and daughters will rise up to engage their full inheritance and find their purpose quickly in My Kingdom. When they are old, they will have learned to teach their sons and daughters “in the way” they were taught and so on to many generations.

Thank you so much, Lord!