Psalm 111:6-10
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.” vs. 10
There is at the core of our DNA a strong desire for wisdom. As a consequence, we’ve developed amazing systems of education so our children can grow up to be savvy, well-formed, and lovers of knowledge. In our schools, young boys and girls are encouraged to learn to the limits of their abilities…and millions do! Our intellects seem to have no boundaries. Recent scientific and technological advancements have changed our lives but, sometimes it would seem that wisdom is still lacking! We continually act in foolish and cruel ways no matter what the consequences to ourselves or to society. Sometimes it seems as though we’ve learned nothing in our thousands of years of existence. The psalmist would say that we’ve missed the starting point in our search for wisdom. He says that those who seek understanding or knowledge should start with the fear of the Lord. Of course that doesn’t mean being afraid of God or thinking that God will get us if we don’t shape up. Fearing the Lord means having an awe or reverence for the One who brought us into existence. It means knowing that we’re not the center of the universe and having a sense of humility as we move through life. We’re not number one…and the sooner we figure that out the wiser we will be.
Thought for the Day: What’s the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
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