“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.” – Psalm 111:10
It’s back-to-school time, and whether your own school days are long past, or you’re seeing children, grandchildren, friends or neighbors starting a new school year, this is the time of year when all things educational are the prevailing theme.
Throughout the Bible, we can find many references to learning, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. Not all of these qualities are found in a textbook or a classroom, of course, and the tradition of teaching by telling is evident in both the Old and New Testaments. In the accounts of Jesus’ ministry, the disciples consistently addressed Jesus as “Teacher.” When crowds gathered around Jesus, time after time the Gospels tell us that he taught them. It doesn’t say he lectured or reprimanded, it says he taught. When we read the parables of Jesus, such as the stories of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, those are lessons he wanted his listeners to learn. So it would seem there’s great value in God’s eyes in both teaching and learning.
It’s interesting to notice how our appreciation for knowledge and wisdom increases as we mature and experience the ups and downs of life. Mark Twain gives us all a chuckle in his comment about being a youngster and thinking his father didn’t know anything, but a few years later as a young man, he was amazed at how much the old man had learned! Learning is a lifelong occupation — we can grow in so many ways by keeping our minds open, listening and observing and staying tuned in to the world and the people around us. We can never “know it all” and God’s word gives us guidance and challenges.
According to the Lutheran Study Bible, when the psalmist refers to “fear of the Lord” he is not talking about being afraid of God, but uses this term to describe a right relationship with God — that we are to worship, love, obey, and revere God. And please notice that this relationship with God is the beginning, or the foundation, of wisdom. How blessed and fortunate we are to have that solid basis and relationship with our heavenly Father!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers