The Fear of the Lord...

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

How many of us wouldn't want wisdom? To be wise is a commodity far more valuable than material wealth. To know what is best from what is just ok. To discern when to move, when to be still; when to speak, when to be silent; when to fight, when to retreat. These are the treasures of insight that separate greatness from the average.

The Bible tells us that the starting point for wisdom is the fear of the Lord. This isn't some trembling, blubbering fear as one might have in the presence of a bank robber weilding a gun. The fear of the Lord is a reverent awe with the idea of submitting one's will to His authority. This attitude is one of humility, acknowledging who God is, and responding with appropriate respect.

It makes sense that wisdom would begin with a proper view of God. Who else could supply wisdom the way God could? He is the supreme Wise One. If you want wisdom you go to the source, right? You wouldn't go to Bill Gates to try to learn how to play baseball, just like you wouldn't call up Michael Jordan if you wanted to know how to knit socks. God is the giver of wisdom (James 1:5) and the wisdom He gives is pure and complete.

Interestingly, the fear of the Lord is only the beginning of wisdom. You see, God wants to move us to an even deeper place of intimacy with Himself. As we move in closer and closer to God we gain wisdom and understanding. We begin to see life through the eyes of God and gain an entirely new outlook on the world around us. Our compassion for the lost grows, our insight into sin and human suffering expands, and our desire to please God in all we do increases.

I pray I will grow in wisdom. I suppose my growth in this area is directly related to how often I bend my knee in submission to God. What an inequitable exchange; wisdom for worship. Praise be to the God of grace...

With bended knee,

jonathan