TLIC Family. PROVERBS. DECEMBER 22: FEAR.

THINK TOGETHER.

Is there anything in your house that is scary to you?

READ TOGETHER

Proverbs 9:10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…

There’s a great scene in the movie home alone where Kevin (the boy who is home alone) is afraid and hiding under his parents’ bed, but then realizes he shouldn’t be scared. He says, “This is ridiculous, only a wimp would be hiding under a bed.” Then he goes outside and announces to the whole world that he is not afraid anymore (until his scary neighbor causes him to go running and screaming back into the house).

Jesus didn’t come to make us afraid. He came so that we would never have to be afraid. When the angels came to the shepherds on Jesus’ birthday this is what they said:

Luke 2:10. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Fear not. But Proverbs 9:10 tells us to fear the Lord. So which is it? Do we fear or do we fear not?

When Proverbs tells us to fear the Lord it means to have respect for him. To love him and trust him. Not because he is scary, but because he is good and powerful. The truth is, when we are afraid of anything that is not God, that’s when we are not fearing God. But when we fear God, when we trust him with everything, then, like Kevin in Home Alone, we don’t have to be afraid anymore.

How do we know that we can fear and trust God? Because he sent Jesus to save us. If God would do that for us, then he would do anything for us. Remember, the angel didn’t just tell the shepherds to stop being afraid. He said don’t be afraid because there is good news. Jesus has come to save us! And if Jesus is for us, then no one and nothing can ever stand against us.

Because of Jesus we can trust God to be for us.

With Jesus we don’t have to be afraid.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

Watch the “Kevin’s not afraid scene” from Home Alone. Talk about what makes you afraid. How does Jesus take away our fears?

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, you came to take away my fear. I want to trust you even when I’m scared. Help me to fear God more than any other scary thing. Amen.