The beginning of wisdom
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”Proverbs 9:10
Reflection
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." The whole book of Proverbs turns around this idea, repeated in several forms: whoever wants to live well must begin with God. It does not begin with techniques, nor strategies, nor accumulated experience, but with a posture of the heart before God. Biblical wisdom is not merely intelligence or reasoning ability. It is the art of living in accord with reality as God created it.
And what is the "fear of the LORD"? It is not the dread of a tyrant waiting to punish us. It is reverence, deep respect and awe before who God is: holy, powerful, just, kind. Whoever fears God takes His word seriously, acknowledges their limits and lives in the awareness that life happens before Him. And notice that the fear is the "beginning", that is, the starting point and foundation. It is not a stage left behind; it is the base on which everything is built.
The verse adds: "and the knowledge of the holy is understanding". To know the Holy One, that is, God Himself, is what produces true discernment. Wisdom is not information that accumulates, it is a relationship that is cultivated. The more we know God, the more we see life through His eyes: what matters, what is passing, what is just, what leads to good. And that discernment is what protects us from disastrous decisions.
How to practice this today? Before making an important decision, ask a simple question: "What honors God here?" Let that question order your priorities. And invest in knowing: read a passage from the Gospels and ask what it reveals about God's character. Wisdom does not come all at once; it grows with each day of fellowship. Whoever begins with God is not left without direction, because they have the right starting point. And it is always time to begin again with Him.
Prayer
Lord, give me the fear that is the beginning of wisdom: reverence, respect and love for You. Teach me to know You better each day, so that I may see life through Your eyes. May every decision of mine begin in You, and may my life be guided by Your understanding. Amen.
Put it into practice
Before each decision today, ask: "What honors God here?" And read a passage from the Gospels, asking what it reveals about God's character.
To reflect on
In which decisions have you begun with techniques or opinions instead of beginning with God?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).