Wisdom wins hands down! In Proverbs 9, we see descriptions of both wisdom and folly, and honestly, there's really no comparison. All I could think as I read was, who wouldn't want wisdom? But the question is, how do we acquire wisdom? Verse 4 says, "Let all who are simple, come in here [to wisdom's house]!" (NIV) And verse 10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
So what does putting those two verses into practice look like? Tami W.
It's true. Being aware of grieving him is what helps me to choose wisely. However, just like yesterday's question, it is easy for me to pull a Peter one faster than a blink and before I know it, I have chosen foolishly. Again. Obeying, regardless of how I feel, certainly gives me a taste of the beginning of wisdom. BTW, thanks to the one who shared yesterday about not wanting to open this; it's exactly what I did. But, "thanks be to Christ" for loving us so much.:) I am always and without a doubt blessed over and beyond when I choose to revere him instead of listening to myself.
What does "fear of the Lord" really mean?
I think I did that very thing today. I had been reading Philippians 2:1-11 and wanted to know what it means to 'regard one another as more important than himself.' What does that look like in everyday terms? I sat on the back porch, Bible open, writing pad ready. I came to God in humble prayer (fear of the Lord in acknowledging His Omniscience) admitting that I was inexperienced (simple) in this area and could only be made wise by His words/precepts.
Bert,
Depending on the context, the "fear of the Lord" typically means to respect or revere (honor) the Lord. It is to have a sense of awe (Deut. 7:21).
Allen, Biblical Correspondent at Back to the Bible
The reverent/respectful, awe and attitude towards God is the beginning of wisdom.
I used to wonder why the kind of wisdom here was sort of described as just a beginning, the starting point, the basic, and I thought of "common sense" as being the basic and fundamental intellect.
Then I thought of people who would rather believe in aliens, and that everything came from nothing by some random chance over some unknown zillions of years, usually these are people who are so proud of their education and claims vast amount of knowledge.
People who loves animal and the environment so extremely, but won't defend a helpless baby in a womb. People who claims no absolute but absolutely objects to any christian moral absolutes.
You put them together and can't help but ask how in the world can you be so smart and believe in things that defies common sense?
And the answer is because they don't have any reverent/respect and any kind of acknowledgment of God, this is the reason why people don't even have common sense or basic wisdom, because the beginning of wisdom comes when we have a reverent/respectful attitude towards God.