The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 KJV
It is important to know the start of something, so you can determine how and where it will end. For everything that God lays out, he tells us where and how it starts, as well as where and how it will end. God never leaves any of us in doubt as to the effect and consequences of our actions. I will not get to the end of life and find a valid excuse for whatever decision or action I took. God has made his mind on all things clear in his Word, and it is as I read, study and obey that God's perfect will is made clear. We see this again spelt out clearly in today's extract.
There is the fear of the Lord, and there is also the fear of man. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and it would also mean that the fear of man is the beginning of foolishness. Why is fear the key word here? It is because whoever you fear will dictate your every move. That person will hold your heart so much that you would not want to do anything to offend him. It works this way both for God and man. If God holds your heart, you do not want to offend him, because his anger can be destructive. If it is man also, you do not want to lose favour and goodwill, especially if you have always enjoyed the benefits.
So, fear is actually a good thing, depending on the perspective you take. If I see God as a loving father whose grace, mercy and favour are my daily desires, I will not do anything to disrupt that flow. It takes personal experience to know the value of the benefits that the fear of God brings. It also takes personal experience to also know the destructive power of the fear of man. It is called a snare, because with man, you never know what would set him off. With man, you need the skill of hypocrisy to be able to keep currying man's favour. With God, hypocrisy does not sell, because he knows the movies and the heart behind every action. It is the fear of man that is called foolishness, also in today's extract.
What today's extract calls for is a personal and honest check of myself. What kind of fear holds my heart? A particular kind will ALWAYS be in place. Nature abhors a vacuum, so also my heart can never be empty. What priority I feed becomes the dominant fear in my heart. If I allow man take charge, and I seek to only please men, the fear of man is going to rule and the end will not be nice. If I feed the fear of God with the Word of God, seeking to know him and his will and being quick to obey, I am giving God priority, and setting up his fear as the dominant force in my heart.
I note the word 'beginning' and the message for me is that it does not end with a mere fear, but with a growing fear. It grows by nurture and knowledge. The more of God I know, the more of him I fear. The more of him I feed myself, the more of him I know. If I find myself not desiring opportunities for personal devotion, fellowship, prayer and bible study, maybe it is time to check again before it is too late. What or Who is your fear? Eternity hangs on the answer to that question. God's time of favour is here.
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