Proverbs 23:17-18

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

The fear of the Lord is far better. Every sinner, no matter how rich or famous, will die and go to hell. So fearing the Lord is man’s whole duty.

With God’s blessing and favor, even obscurity and poverty are better than the dysfunctional, hopeless lives and eternal suffering of the wicked.

Fearing the Lord is not a mindset for devotions, for times of trouble, for prayer, for Sunday worship, or the Lord’s Supper – it is the lifestyle, perspective, and worldview that real Christians follow every minute all day long.

Application

Read and meditate on Psalm 73.