“The fear of the Lord is this wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.” Job 28:15-16 HCSB
When we were visiting the Grand Canyon several years ago, our four children wanted to go to the edge and look at the beauty of God’s creation. Even though there were rails in place to keep people from getting too close to the edge, my wife with her motherly concern quickly warned all of them to stay away from the edge. Having a healthy fear of heights helps keep one from venturing too close to the side and away from harm.
This verse is an echo of a theme that runs through out the Bible. We are to fear God. This is a healthy fear, not a fear regarding what God is going to do because He is all powerful and can strike us down with just one word. Instead it is a guiding fear meaning that we should have respect and reverence for God and His majesty. The fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom.
Challenge: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Read Proverbs 1:7-9 and Ecclesiastes 12:13. These verses reflect the importance of fearing God and keeping His commandments.