Wisdom in Fear :: Deeper Devotion

by Glenn Ansley

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I have developed healthy fears concerning several different people and things over the course of my lifetime. As I became older some of these fears such as the dark, a neighborhood bully, and girls somehow lost the control they once held over me. Other fears constantly rise up to take the previous one’s place. It may be learning to drive, leaving for college, or asking my girlfriend’s father for her hand in marriage. With every fear that rears its ugly head (and I’m not saying my wife’s father ever had an ugly head), I have discovered that it becomes extremely important to know as much about the fear as possible. In doing this I would either gain a very important respect for the fear or develop extensive measures to avoid it altogether.

In the case of the neighborhood bully, I learned his habits and schedule. Where does he get off the bus, what area of the neighborhood does he play in, how fast and for how long can he run? All of this was important information for me know if I was to be successful in avoiding both him and a bodily injury. On the other hand, I realized that it would not be possible or beneficial for me to avoid my girlfriend’s father before asking her to marry me. In light of this, I had to study different aspects of him. I wasn’t so much concerned about how fast he could run (maybe I should have been) as I was about his love for Kristie and his like/dislike of myself. I needed to gain an understanding and respect for his view of family values and moral standards. My fear of him led not to avoidance, but to a deeper understanding of who he was and what he stood for.

I ask you which one of these fears more closely resembles your approach to the Lord. When I read the words of King Solomon I have to believe that his fear of God more closely resembled my fear of Kristie’s dad than my fear of the neighborhood bully. Is this why Solomon writes, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” I know several friends that grew up in the same church as I did. They were taught the same things that I was and were introduced to the same God as me. Today they are spread across the country, involved in lifestyles that no one could be proud of. I often times wonder how they ever allowed themselves to reach that place. How could have they learned about the same God as I did, and yet, become so distant from Him? I have to imagine that their fear of the Lord led them to avoidance rather than to a healthy respect.

The second part of verse 7 warns that, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” What type of response has your fear of the Lord led to? Have you turned to avoidance or respect, wisdom or foolishness? I encourage you to not look towards your heavenly Father as the neighborhood bully, avoiding Him at all cost so that your life may be “more pleasurable.” Instead, I ask you to study Him; make an effort to understand the values, morals, and instructions that He has set up for us in the Bible. In doing this, I promise that your wisdom will only become all the greater.

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