By Cynthia Wier, member of the Gene Decker Study Class and St. Luke’s since 1975

Proverbs 14: 26 (RSV)
In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have refuge.

Reflection:
The word “fear” usually conjures up images of fright, danger, or something unsettling, an event that tears apart our sense of peace and comfort. I am afraid of heights. I am horrified when cars cut in front of me on the freeway, just barely missing a collision. And I am stressed out when someone I love is ill.

The Book of Proverbs presents us with another and completely surprising definition. “In the fear of the Lord one has confidence.” Could this be right? Fear brings confidence? The writer of this verse is referring to fear as a sense of “respect” or “awe.”

I think often of my great-grandparents who left their home in the mountains of northeastern Alabama in the late nineteenth century and started all over in a new world in Central Texas. With their six sons and two daughters, Kate and Tillman Knight began again in the small community of Spring Valley and found a new life where they could raise their family and provide an education for them.

It was not without struggle. My great-grandfather found work on another man’s land and made enough to feed his family and give them shelter in the home of cousins. Gradually they found a circle of friends as they worked together. And on Sundays, they worshipped in the little church nearby. Not only did these neighbors supply support and encouragement, but they also helped them to grow in their already strong faith in God.

My great-grandmother, Kate, knew something about “fear of the Lord.” She knew how hard this new start was for her family. They had left friends and a place that was familiar to them. They were heading for something different, and she had confidence in what they would find.

The stories that were passed down in our family are often joyful, full of laughter, to make the hard work easier. Because of my father’s cousin who wrote our family’s history, I can enjoy reading about the house they finally built with the big front porch. Grandmother Kate loved her garden and planted roses as well as the vegetables that provided much of their food. She tended her flock of turkeys. She wove blankets for all the children. And for sure, she brought them to the small church each Sunday to thank God for seeing them through the hard times. My father loved telling us about the family gatherings at his grandparents’ house. I wish I could have been there to eat, laugh and pray with them.

The writer of Proverbs ends with these words: “and his children will have refuge.” His children would have warmth, food, and love. Today we are clinging to our faith, our awe in God’s guidance during this difficult season. We look to God to walk us through these days of disease and bring us to the other side.

As a descendant of my faithful great-grandparents, I am blessed to be one of those children. At St. Luke’s one of our Inside-Out Habits is “we tell our stories.” What stories might you have from your life of someone who feared the Lord?

Prayer:
Our Father, as we begin this new year, teach us to listen to your word. Remind us to spend quiet time with you so we have confidence in your love for us. In these challenging days we know we can take refuge in the comfort and safety we find in you. Amen.