The beginning of knowledge, wisdom and foolishness

As we as Christians pursue growth in knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, it should also mean a growth in wisdom, where wisdom means the ability to apply our knowledge in order to accomplish our God-given purposes and callings. We hope it is the case, but we find that knowledge and wisdom often do not live together in the same person.

In Proverbs 1: 7 we read:  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

What is the fear of the LORD?

The LORD is the God about whom Isaiah said:

(Is 40:14 and18) Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?  To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?

Our God is awesome, almighty, holy, glorious, infinite, invisible, and completely wise.

What does it mean to "fear" this LORD? This fear means having a right relationship, based on respect, a worshipping attitude of praise and thanksgiving and the acknowledgement that he alone has all authority in our lives.  Fear of the Lord means to serve with discipline – to obediently and faithfully walk in God's ways, because you have some understanding of who God revealed that he is.

What is the beginning of knowledge?

It means taking what the Bible says and apply it in my relationship with the LORD, because I can know all about the LORD without knowing the LORD himself. I can memorize the whole Bible, know a lot of church tradition and even some theology, and still not know the LORD personally.  Without the fear of the LORD,  all that you will have is facts, but no knowledge, figures but no wisdom, details but no understanding, rules and laws but no morality.

We need to spend enough time with the Bible. We need to be fed spiritually. We need family and personal devotions and we need faithful attendance of worship services until we own the knowledge that will make us wise, because we fear the awesome LORD that we love!