Welcome to this Daily PBJ devotional. Read Exodus 38, Proverbs 14, and Psalm 86 if you're following the Old Testament reading schedule for this year. This devotional is about various verses in Proverbs 14. Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but the one who is devious in his ways despises him. The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox. An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies. A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. Stay away from a foolish man, you will gain no knowledge from his speech. The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them. Fools mock the making of amends, but good will is found among the upright. The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow. The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways, but a good man is rewarded for his ways. The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps. A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated. The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor man is hated even by his neighbor. but many are those who love the rich. He who despises his neighbor's sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor. Do not those who contrive evil go astray, but those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness. There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly. A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful. He who fears the Lord is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. A large population is a king's splendor, But a lack of subjects is a prince's ruin. A patient man has great understanding, But a quick-tempered man promotes folly. A tranquil heart is life to the body, But envy rots the bones. Whoever oppresses the poor Taunts their maker, but whoever is kind To the needy honors him. The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death. Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning, even among fools she is known. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful. This is God's word. And again, this devotional is about several verses in Proverbs 14, namely Proverbs 14.2, Proverbs 14.16, verse 26, and verse 27. Fear is a feeling that motivates people to act in ways that other feelings do not. You may love America, for example, but I'll bet you pay your taxes more because you fear being prosecuted than because of your patriotism. These verses in Proverbs are linked by the concept of the fear of the Lord. The first two of them describe how the fear of the Lord motivates people to do what is right. Proverbs 14.2 in the NIV says, whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly. And Proverbs 14.16 in the NIV says, the wise fear the Lord and shun evil. So in verse two, we walk uprightly because we fear the Lord. In verse 16, we shun evil because we fear the Lord. Now we often hear that fearing the Lord doesn't mean being afraid of God, but rather having a sense of reverential awe toward Him. Reverential awe is good, but there is more to fearing God than just being in awe of Him. Someone who fears God is reverent because of who God is personally. But a God-fearing person also respects his role as Lord and Judge. Fearing God does not mean we serve him because he's angry or because we're terrified of being annihilated at any moment for doing or saying the wrong thing. But fearing God does mean, however, that we submit to his authority and we obey the rules because we believe in him and all that he is, including that he is a just God. Verses 2 and 16 tell us that this kind of proper fear of the Lord causes someone to do the right thing, causes them to walk uprightly, as verse 2 says, and also to avoid doing wrong. Again, verse 16 says we will shun evil if we fear the Lord. These are the consequences when someone fears the Lord. Verses 26 and 27 show us, however, that fearing God is not negative at all. It is positive. Verse 26 says that fearing the Lord provides a person with a secure fortress. And verse 27 says that it is a fountain of life to fear the Lord. When you believe in God as the Bible presents Him, it brings security, according to verse 26, and blessings such as joy and purpose to your life, according to verse 27. Now, why is that true? Because sin is dangerous. Verse 27 says that the fear of the Lord turns a person from the snares of death. Sin kills, but fearing God will help you avoid it. We need God's grace to fear Him and to live obediently because we fear Him. That means extending grace, of course, to others who truly fear God, but still give in to the desires of the sinful nature within. But please understand, we do ourselves and our loved ones no favors at all. when we act like sin is no big deal because God's grace in Christ covers it all anyway. Sin is a big deal. The wages of sin is death, according to Romans 6.23. When we rebuke someone who is sinning because we fear God, we are not trying to cut them down personally. We're trying to save them from the destructive effects of sin. If you've ever had a loving friend step in and help you avoid or extricate yourself from sin, you know what a blessing that is. Until we are fully redeemed by God, at death or at Christ's return, we are vulnerable to the deceptive lies our sin, nature, the world, and the devil tells us. But if we fear God and His discipline in our lives, it will help us avoid sin and find the fountain of life Solomon describes in verse 27. So I hope you do fear the Lord. And I hope that fear of the Lord is something that is on your mind and that you use to make decisions in your life, especially moral decisions. So think about that today. And I'll see you next time. May God bless you. I hope you have a great day.