A Little Respect – Psalm 147:11 | Steve's Bible Meditations

“The Lord values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love” (Psalm 147:11, HCSB).

In a classic pop song from the late 1960’s, Aretha Franklin demanded some respect from her man: “All I’m asking is for a little respect…”

I have two toddlers that I am trying to teach to mind me, to be respectful by doing what I ask them to do (or not do). We still have a ways to go and I suspect that we will probably be working on it for years to come!

Why do parents spend so much time, even years, training their children to be obedient and respectful?

Is it because the parents want their children to be their servants or slaves? Is it because parents want to feel powerful?

No! In fact, it’s just the opposite.

Parents want to empower their children to grow into wise adults that understand the difference between right and wrong, truth and lies, good and evil, so that they can make right choices in life.

So, when you teach your children to mind, you are teaching them to respect you and your judgment because you want what’s best for them.

It’s the same thing with God. He wants us to make right choices in our lives.

That’s why we should show Him respect. That’s why we should fear God. Because He wants to teach us how to live for Him.

When we fear God, then, like obedient children, we can better do what God has planned and purposed for our lives.

In the book of Acts, Dr. Luke coupled the fear of the Lord with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. You need to possess and practice the former in order to receive the latter: “So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers” (Acts 9:31).

Like the Aretha Franklin song, God is asking us to show Him a little respect!

God places value on people who respect Him. They are special to Him. They are like obedient children. They rely on God because He is all-knowing and all-loving and, therefore, He knows what’s best for their lives in this world and the world to come!

“If you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding…then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:3,5, HCSB).