Where do we begin?

Happy Monday to you!

After taking on Ecclesiastes over the last couple weeks, I decided to go backwards in my Bible to consult more wisdom from King Solomon in Proverbs. I am convinced that, of all the gifts I could receive from God at this stage in my life as a husband, son, soon-to-be father, friend, pastor, and child of God, wisdom is one gift of which I could use a whole lot more.

If you, like me, feel like you are a beginner on the journey of growth in godly wisdom, the well-known but seldom-reflected words of Proverbs 1:7 strike you: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Where do wisdom and knowledge begin? With the fear of the Lord. In other words, if I at least fear God, I have a fighting shot at growing in wisdom. If I lack fear of God, no amount of information gathering and observation will ultimately help me.

Sometimes Proverbs is painted as a book of helpful, worldly wisdom that is short on spiritual value. While it does indeed impart wisdom for living in the world, it is a book written by the people of God for the people of God. We can call Proverbs "worldly wisdom" precisely because it is God's world that we are talking about. Those who rightly fear the Lord understand that He is the Creator of all things, and that creation testifies to the justice of His ways. When the Lord's ways are transgressed, consequences follow. One doesn't need to look far to see this reality at work around us.

God's will is that we would be wise. He sent Jesus, wisdom in the flesh, to live the life of obedience that we foolish rebels could not live. He won forgiveness through the "foolishness of the cross" and brings us to faith by "the foolishness of what is preached" (the death of Christ as the power of God). He imparts His Spirit, who works through the Word spoken and delivered in the Sacraments to remind us of God's promises and make us more and more like Jesus. His redeemed people are meant to grow in grace and wisdom.

Want to be wise? Fear (have holy respect for and trust in) the Creator, in whose world you live. It's the best and only place to start.