Reverent Fear

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God."

1 Peter 1:17-21

I'm staying at Fulton and Chrissy's house right now. I try to be the best possible guest by being quiet, helping out and keeping things as clean as possible. I say thank you a million times a day because I want them to know how grateful I am. I live at their house in reverent fear because I respect them and their property.

When we're familiar with something of our own or even maybe our close friends then we may toss it around or treat them casually. But to revere is to treat special and sacred. Like treating an everyday item as if it were a once a year item. To live a holy life, God wants us to do this with EVERYTHING that we do.

Are we living in reverence and humbleness to others? Think of the person that you treat the worst. Maybe someone that annoys you all the time, maybe someone that has a negative and prideful attitude. You can't help what they do but you can help how you treat them and think about them.

Reverence to others is part of our reverence to God. Do I really love God? Then do I really show love and think lovingly to that annoying or negative person? The amount of love and patience that I show in actions and thoughts toward that person is the extent that I love and fear God.

We live in a culture where we're being constantly bombarded with messages of it being okay to be rude, to lose our cool, to think negatively about others. We think we have rights and freedom to do as we please if we're not satisfied. However, children, this is selfish thinking.

To live the life in reverent fear of God is to strictly obey His command: Love your neighbor as yourself.

No matter what they do to you.