"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." --Proverbs 1:7
So...yeah...this
verse sure seems pretty simple upon first glance. But its not. The
concepts which it presents are preposterous to those who don't believe
in God. So first of all, and very importantly, you must acknowledge
and/or be aware of God's existence. He by no means demands
obedience...He'll let us do what we want for our whole lives...but we
must be prepared to answer for those actions when we are to be judged.
God wants sons and daughters who are eager to do His will...to be loved
by Him and directed in all their paths...He wants warriors, lovers,
friends, truth speakers, counselors, listeners...anyone and everyone, to
know His love.
BUT FIRST, we must know and feel the fear of the
Lord. Now, fear isn't normally regarded as something desirable or
good...but this isn't your average fear. The fear talked about in this
verse isn't a cowering, crying fear as we wait for some big creepy god
hidden in the skies to strike us down...or smite us if you'd prefer. ;)
No, the fear spoken of here is the reverent fear a child has for their
father. A father who loves them with everything he has and would do
anything for his children. A father who displays that love with every
breath his children take. The fear spoken of in THIS verse is respect
and reverence for the Almighty Creator of the universe.
This is a
fear that many people don't know...a fear that many people refuse to
acknowledge because they claim that God doesn't exist. They hold their
own intellect as their personal savior, rationalizing their existence
through whatever means is most convenient to them so that they might
stay on their earthen platform and claim their godhood. Oh, but they
shall know the OTHER type of fear upon their expiration...they will know
the terror of being judged by the God who created the mountains and
valleys with His finger...who spoke everything into existence and made
man His very own handywork.
Search your hardened hearts and
know that God waits for you...as your savior through His son Jesus
Christ...or as your Judge seated upon the throne which will only be
looked upon with shame and regret when you go to be judged...if you can
even look at it at all. Know that He wants to deliver you from the
bondage you live in. You claim to be so free, yet your life is filled
with the same distractions and diversions that you repeat over and over
so as to forget for as long as you can that you need to be saved.
And
yet, so many of you out there will just huff this off as more
"religious crap," instead of the plea of a friend for you to know true
love. Love that could change your life. Love that could deliver you
from relying on your own limited and finite intelligence. Love that
could move you to be a person that you never thought you'd be.
and
thats why the verse goes, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Because a fool will
not and can not know real knowledge...sure, a fool can learn things and
claim them and cling to those few things as their saving grace, but they
will never know true knowledge, much less wisdom, without God.
I love you all and hope that I can help you...if even in the slightest way!
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.John 15:13
and I would, for any of you, that you might know Christ.
