Our HOLY God - The Erosion of Fear.

At a high tea session recently, my friends and I bemoaned the behaviour and values of the today's generation. I guess some others would have bemoaned our values too when we were young. Each generation always feel that they were the better ones. Sadly, as I thought about it, I would have taught the parents of today's generation. So where did I go wrong?

Personally, I feel it is all our fault! Children are confused because there is no clear figure of authority. Everyone in their lives want to be their "friend".

I remember the fear as a child when my mother threatened me with the police! "I call the police ah?" was a warning and it was enough to stop me doing whatever wrong I was doing. The police or "Mata" was a fearful thought because they had the authority to come and catch you and take you away and put you in jail!

Today, the police go all out to assure kids that they are friendly and helpful and need not be feared. The Men in Blue are their friends. So, they are NOT feared. Sometimes, not respected either.

Teachers try hard to win their pupils' hearts by being friendly. Positive strokes, awards and rewards are generously delved out (even ca$h!!!) when children do well or behave well or even pretend to behave well. Teachers can no longer be harsh, negative or honest. Some honest teachers who give open feedback often have to contend with angry parents, angrier bosses and Ministry officials who all come down hard on the honest teachers who then learn to be politically correct and in the process, the children hear only the good stuff. Their fear of reprisal for any wrong doing is further eroded. Teachers are friends. We don't have to fear our friends ... neither do we need to respect them.

Is respect taught? People say it is caught. But how do we catch something we don't see? Parents show disrespect to teachers and other figures of authority. Some show disrespect to grandparents and maids. Others to even God! So what do children catch?

Parents work hard and are often absent from their children's lives. With the short interaction time (and period - usually from baby to pre-teen years) available, parents want to be their children's friends too! Why should they miss out? So, they do stuff together, have fun, persuade and cajole vs tell and reason and dump the authority en route. Not cool to be authoritative! We all want to be popular ... and friendly.

They say NO to the rod; NO to harsh words; NO to reasoning and YES to everything else! Friends will go along whatever! During my childhood days, it was very clear that my dad was my dad, my mum was my mum and my friends were my friends. I totally respected their authority as my parents.

Finally, God is seen as a loving Father and Jesus as a friend. I want to remind us that God is the same God yesterday, today and forever. He is a God of wrath and He is a jealous God who will punish! Fortunately, we have Jesus who took all that wrath and punishment on our behalf.

We should fear God. We should tremble with awe as we approach Him, just as the people of Israel did thousands of years ago. In His presence, their hearts were filled with fear. They could not look at His face or meet Him for fear that they would die. This is the fear, we should approach God with, and with respect because He is a HOLY God who demands our obedience. But He is also a loving, gracious and merciful God. That does not and should not allow us to approach Him with friendliness or with disrespect.

Well, what do we call going to church service late? What do we see "dressing down" to attend church as? What do we say when we do not meet Him daily in conversation and communion? How do we rationalize malicious gossip, dirty talk, small indiscretions, man-over God value judgements, white lies and disobedience to His word? Do we even know His Word? Do we know Him? Do we bother?

I often wonder how we would act or react if we truly feared our Holy God. Perhaps then the idea of "authority" will not be so hard to accept or display. We need to give back the authority to the Men in Blue, to teachers, to parents and certainly to God. Perhaps we do need to have some fear in our hearts to learn to obey, to respect and to love ... even when cultivating friendships. Not fear of the person. But perhaps fear of reproach, loss, disapproval or even displeasure.

We all want to please, but please who? Children should want to please their parents, not vise-versa. Take back the authority!

Finally, we should all want to please God.