Even though the apostle Paul is secure in his relationship with God, he understands what it means to have the fear of the Lord. It is not a dreadful fear, such as the fear of being rejected. Instead, it is the fear of not being grateful and faithful to what God has entrusted to him. He values it so much that he does not want to miss the opportunity to honor the Lord. He wants the Corinthians to focus on the heart of a person rather than on the externalities of human achievement or accomplishment. He acts as he does because he values the Lord's goodness and mercy toward him. That is why, in his service to God, he uses the best of his mind (i.e., his right mind) to serve those whom God has entrusted to him. In other words, the fear of the Lord is his primary source of motivation, not the approval of people.