Proverbs 1:5-7 

⁵ Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. ⁷The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Working Student

Two high school graduates sought employment immediately after graduation. One of them worked in a restaurant to support his post-secondary studies. The other person worked as laborer in a construction firm but lavishly spent his salary. Few years later, the working student left his job at the restaurant and become a fulltime teacher. The person who spent his salary lavishly, still worked as day-to-day wage earner.

Who has gained wisdom? Our choices in life reveal it, if we have gained wisdom.

Can you agree that King Solomon personally explored the reality of his proverbs? Did he consider his children and the Israelites as primary recipients when he preserved them? God gave him wisdom and had surely placed in the heart of King Solomon to write down what he learned so that, believers would also learn from his wisdom.

Regularly read the Scripture to know if a message is biblical truth or deceptive.

Jesus Christ had warned in Mark 13:22, ²²For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 

The Lord Jesus Christ warned what to expect before his second coming; false messiahs and false prophets will deceive anyone, including believers. Who are deceivers in our generation? How can we discern deceptions from truths?  Get knowledge!

1.  Discern

⁵Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance —⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. ^7aThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

The term “beginning” is crucial to where we must start whenever uncertainties, things that we just cannot comprehend and hard to explain, disturb our mind. And, how could fear of the Lord functions as beginning of knowledge? During difficult situations, do you normally asked yourselves, “What will I do?” “How do I solve this problem?”

            Remember this: The “Fear of the Lord” is the “beginning of knowledge!”

So, what is “the fear of the Lord?” How can we practically practise it? What must we do? We prioritize the Lord in all things we need, decide—problems, plans, activities.

Problems may attack anytime; and, before we think of solutions, we should ask ourselves, “Do I have fear of the Lord?” Search your heart and mind; pray that God help you respect him until you sense that, you sincerely have reverent fear of the Lord.

No Time?

The proverbs were written for believers to read and increase in knowledge, how?

When biblical principles are practically applied in our lifestyle, we experience the fullness of life that Christ promised; then, we desire to increase in godly wisdom.

Yet most often, we can hear some believers saying, “I have no to time to read the Bible!” Why? Every person is given 24 hours every single day, right?

Godly wisdom helps us to appropriately allocate 24 hours in a day so that, we can set aside enough time of reading the Bible. Many believers can testify that spending time with the Scripture had helped them discern favorable decisions for them.

When difficult problems visited you, you might have asked these questions: “What will I do?” “How do I solve this problem?” Well, it’s human instinct of our brain.

Naturally, we instinctively do what we can do and seek God’s help later, right?

To avoid unnecessary delay of solving our problems, difficult or not, remember: The “Fear of the Lord” is the “beginning of knowledge!” To know is to understand.

To understand how God may help us, pray to be enlightened by his Holy Spirit.

Godly Choices

The internet had been very useful when searching for answers to many problems. If you’ve got question about work, search online for answers. If you have inquiry about health or relationship, search online for advisory. If you want to explore your talent in cooking, baking, planting, fishing or hobby, just access online for favorable information.

Well, the Lord Jesus had warned that there will be false messiahs or false saviors. Beware! Online messiahs are very deceptive. False saviors promise helps to pay debts, loans, mortgages; but, they swindle foolish victims who are looking for quick solutions.

Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:18-22. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.   

All believers can easily access to the power and riches of God in Christ Jesus, he has been given all authority over all things, concerns of life, even solutions to problems. We need to pray for godly wisdom so that, the eyes of our hearts be enlightened and discern which decisions is beneficial to us. The foolish person despises godly wisdom.

2.  Despise

^7bFools despise wisdom and instruction.

To despise is to scorn or laugh at. Fools do not like wisdom; they just ignore it.

Unknowingly, we are not easily attracted to wisdom. Indirectly, we reject wisdom. True!

What is our priority in life? We are concerned with life, we prioritize materialism in this physical world. We want to solve problems with our own ways and means. We want to exert much of our own effort. We want to satisfy our pride that, we did it our way: at work, studies, games or hobbies. There’s glorious feeling like: “Yeah! I did it!”

Beyond Dreams

In the story of two high school graduates, one used his hard-earned money and pursued teaching career; the other person lavishly spent his hard-earned money. Lavish expenditure was his way to escape the reality of difficult life, at least for few moments.

And then, divine intervention happened. The prodigal and reckless spender was awakened by the grace of God. He heard the gospel of Christ; he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. His life had changed completely. His life actually, had been favorably successful practically beyond his dream and imagination.

It says in James 1:22-25, ²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Foolish individuals are not attracted by the word of God. Many times we act like foolish person when we readily forget and not want to meditate on the word of God. Pray that God will help you to sincerely love reading the Scripture cheerfully, regularly.

            Friends: Whenever difficult problem or challenging concern of life visits you again, remember this: The “Fear of the Lord” is the “beginning of knowledge!” Then, pray that God helps you respect, value and revere him sincerely with all your heart and mind, until you would sense that you truly have reverent fear and respect of the Lord.

Reverent fear of God is more than just bowing down as selfless gratitude to him.

A gracious king provides things that his servants practically need. A wise king gives instructions based on the ability of servants. Wise servants would only do things their king instructed them to do. Why won’t they take initiatives? Smart servants do not waste their efforts; they give their best effort to things that would bring them reward.

Christ Jesus our gracious King of kings has already provided all things we need to serve him with godly lifestyle of righteousness acceptable to him. Pray to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit of Christ and know his will; the Lord had already prepared rewards and blessing for believers who follow his will and instructions.

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