“Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.”

There are a few things I can genuinely say I despise. Most of them involve the ugly treatment of other people. I despise child abuse. I despise the tragedies of war. I despise people who intentionally bring pain into the lives of others. I despise Brussels sprouts. That being said, I can hardly imagine someone who would despise God. Dislike Him, fear Him, not believe in Him, or even be angry at Him—but to despise Him seems almost beyond understanding. The Hebrew word for despise in this verse literally means “to scorn, disdain, or hold in contempt,” often referring to someone who disrespects God through devious actions. This is the opposite of the one who fears the Lord. In understanding what it means to fear the Lord, we learn a great deal by seeing what despising Him looks like. Fearing the Lord is about respect and reverence, and it is expressed by walking uprightly in relationship with Him. Both fear and contempt reveal themselves through action. The one who despises Him lives deviously, while the one who fears Him lives rightly—serving as salt and light in a world largely controlled by darkness. Love Jesus, be kind, and despise sin.
#BeTheEdge #LoveJesusBeKind

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9 NIV