Hold On, Maybe We've Got "God's Fear" All Wrong

Hold on, let's unpack this "fear of God" thing!

Hey everyone, let's chat about something I hear a lot: this whole "fear of God" thing we try to instill in our kids. Now, don't get me wrong, I believe in respect for the Big Guy upstairs, just like you. But lately, I've been wondering if we're maybe missing the point a little.

First off, what does "fear" even mean here? Is it like, genuine, sweaty-palm terror? Because that doesn't sound much like the God of love I know. Remember that whole "love thy neighbor" thing? Yeah, not exactly the vibe of a scaredy-cat God, right?

Here's the thing: God isn't some cosmic drill sergeant barking orders. He created us in His image, gave us free will – remember Adam and Eve? – because He wants a relationship with us, not robots. Think about it – if He just wanted mindless obedience, we'd be like fancy wind-up toys, not the complex, messy humans we are.

Now, picture this: you're a parent, and your kid keeps, well, acting like a kid. Spilling juice,

drawing on the walls – the whole nine yards. You could yell, threaten, ground them for life (not recommended!), or you could talk to them, explain why what they did was wrong, and help them learn.

That's how God rolls, too. He talks to us, guides us, even disciplines us sometimes – remember that time the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years? Not exactly a spa vacation, but a lesson learned, right? – but it's all to get us back on the right track, not out of some twisted power trip.

Here's the kicker: all that fear-based parenting? It backfires. Big time. We end up with kids who associate bad behavior with punishment, which explains a whole lot about why violence is a thing, right? Plus, they clam up, scared to talk about their problems because they think we'll just explode. Not exactly a recipe for a strong parent-child bond.

Remember that verse about training a child (Proverbs 22:6, for the scripture buffs)? It's about guidance, not punishment. Imagine the impact of a good conversation, a funny story that teaches a lesson, way more powerful than a smack on the behind, right?

Think about it: when you truly respect someone, you don't want to disappoint them. It's deeper than just being scared of getting in trouble. That's the kind of respect we want to foster with our kids and with God. A respect built on love, understanding, and that awesome feeling of knowing you've done something good, not just avoided a punishment.

So, let's ditch the fear tactics and get back to the basics: love, communication, and a whole lot of grace (remember, God's got a bottomless well of that!). That's how we build strong relationships with our kids and, ultimately, with God himself. Now, who's up for some cookies? They might get a little messy, but hey, that's part of the learning process, right?

Family Gathering