The Fear of the Lord

THE FEAR OF THE LORD (04-15-12)

The Book of Proverbs is one of those Old Testament books that is both often overlooked and also taken for granted. It is overlooked simply because most people do not read the Bible very much, if at all. It is taken for granted because the very title implies that it is filled with bits of wisdom that we assume we already know; and since we know what is written there, we need not read it again.

Nevertheless, whether we are too lazy to pick up our Bible and peruse Proverbs or assume we are so knowledgeable that we need not read that book, we would do ourselves a disservice not to check it out on occasion if only to remind ourselves of bits of knowledge and advice that we have stored in the back of our minds and which could use a bit of prodding and reminding.

The book begins with these words: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: For
learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding words of insight, for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; to teach shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the young— let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill, 6to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.”

Then, for the very first bit of advice, the very first piece of wisdom the book offers – and reminds – is this: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” “Well, if that is the first piece of wisdom a believer must take to heart and mind,” we might say to ourselves, “I’m not sure I want that type of god to be my God. I don’t want to live in fear that I will be punished for everything I do wrong, live on pins and needles, afraid to make a mistake.”

That would be a natural reaction, to be sure, and an honest one. But, of course, that is not what the writer had in mind and certainly did not mean. Our fear should not be a fear of God, living in fear of being punished for sins and offenses. Rather our fear should be one based on God’s love for us. One who is loved does not want to hurt or disappoint the lover no matter who that love is.

I love my wife. I do not ever want to say or do anything that would hurt her. I do not live in fear that I will, but a holy fear of doing so would certainly keep me on the straight and narrow if and when any temptation would arise for me to betray that love. I want to love her as fully as she loves me, and vice versa. That is what makes for a loving relationship. We do not love because we are afraid of what the other will do if we do not. The only fear we need to have is that we will not love as fully as the one we love loves us.

It is the same in our relationship with God. We do not live in fear that we will do something that will cause God’s wrath and anger. That is not living and that is not the life God wants us to live. Rather we live with a holy fear that we will not love God as fully as God loves us. That is the first bit of wisdom the Book of Proverbs offers and one that puts all other bits of wisdom and advice and the way we live our life in perspective.