Reverence

Reverence is profound respect and love. A reverent attitude toward God includes honoring Him, expressing gratitude to Him, and obeying His commandments.

As people show reverence for God, they also show reverence and gratitude for His blessings, His commandments, His prophets, His Church, His ordinances, His priesthood, and His plan for His children. A reverent attitude includes self-respect and personal purity. It leads to proper worship and right conduct.

Reverent behavior includes prayer, scripture study, fasting, and payment of tithes and offerings. It includes having wholesome thoughts, wearing modest clothing, and using clean, wholesome language. The depth of a person’s reverence is evident in his or her choice of music and other entertainment, in the way sacred subjects are spoken of, and in the way the person dresses and acts when attending church services and worshipping in the temple. Reverence also includes making righteous choices even when no one is watching. Reverence for the Lord leads to serving other people and treating them with kindness and respect.

Reverence leads to a quiet transformation in life. The Lord will pour out His Spirit more abundantly on those who are reverent. They are less troubled and confused. They are able to receive revelation to help them solve personal and family problems.

Just as reverence brings an individual closer to God, irreverence suits the purposes of the adversary. Satan will tempt people to follow the world’s trend to more noise, transitory excitement, and contention and to less restraint and quiet dignity.