A GOOD REFRIGERATOR MAGNET
Proverbs 22:4 NKJV
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.
I realize I may be a tad bit cynical, but this proverb makes a better refrigerator magnet than live, laugh, love! Okay, that's decidedly cynical, but seriously. We become so accustomed to phrases and sayings that they lose their punch. And if we are not careful, the same can apply to verses of Scripture. Our proverb for today is a great example.
Mankind is looking for riches, honor, and life. We work hard not so we can become impoverished but so that we can increase. Anyone telling you that their real desire is to make much less money in the upcoming year may lie to you about other things. Having money will not make you happy. Much more is needed to live a happy life. Money gives you options and margins. Money will not make you happy, but not having enough can make you miserable.
Honor is a seldom used word, but people are still looking for it. Honor can also be called respect and acclaim. The advent of social media has supplied more platforms whereby people seek honor. The challenge with man's honor is that it can be very temporary or based on the wrong criteria. It is good to give honor to others but, even better, to receive the honor that comes from God.
An old marketing jingle from the 70s encouraged us to grab for all the gusto in life. After all, you only go around once. That bit of marketing wisdom came from Schlitz beer, now defunct. But it played to the desire in all of us to get more out of life. So we go looking for life in all the wrong places. We look to things, people, our passions, and desires. The problem is that we are dealing with the temporary. We are forced to keep grabbing for more life only to have it run through our fingers.
But this verse sheds light on God's way of doing things. By humility and the fear of the Lord, the path to riches, honor, and life opens up. And when these three come from God, they have staying power.
Humility is that quality that declares God and His ways to be true and right. But more than giving lip service, true humility shows up in our actions and attitudes. Humility is not putting ourselves down; it's lifting God up above our understanding and our ways. Humility is all about adjusting. But these are valuable adjustments. Peter said if we would humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord that He would exalt us (1 Peter 5:6). God's exaltation of us can involve riches, honor, and life.
Humility and the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a topic we don't delve into as often as we should. Having a genuine reverence for God and His ways leads to good things. By the fear of the Lord, we depart from evil. And just departing from evil puts us on a much better path. A path that includes riches, honor, and life.
So, instead of aiming for the riches, honor, and life, let's ask the Lord how we can grow in humility and the fear of the Lord. This may point us in a different direction, but the end results look great.
PRAYER
Dear Father, show me areas that I can grow in humility and the fear and reverence of You. I want Your ways above my own and want to pursue Your paths to riches, honor, and life.