In Psalm 34:11-14 David wrote, “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
He makes his instruction plain and simple. If you want to know what it means to fear God, if you desire a good life, and want to see God working in your life. Watch what you say and watch what you do. We CANNOT expect God to bless us in this life when we talk and act just like everyone else in the world. We cannot expect God’s blessing on our lives when we are constantly holding grudges against others, seeking only what’s best for ourselves, and talking about and saying things a true believer in Jesus Christ has no business talking about or saying.
I hear people often argue something like, “oh, well God doesn’t expect us to be perfect! He knows we all fail, so there’s nothing wrong with having a few wrong actions or words come out of us. God still loves us and He understands.” Well, apparently they have never read 1 Peter; “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.'” (1 Peter 1:14-16) Yes, God knows we fail, but that doesn’t give us an excuse to just fail on purpose. We should ALWAYS be striving to live righteously and follow Jesus Christ in ALL OF OUR WORDS and ACTIONS!
What did Solomon write at the conclusion of Ecclesiastes? “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
This life is not about us. If we are TRULY followers of Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as our Saviour, we have GIVEN our lives to HIM! Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
Plain and simple – Fear God, and seek to follow as closely to Him as we possibly can – with His help and guidance, seek to let ALL of our words and actions be pleasing in His sight.