A Fearless Relationship

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7)

Wasn’t it Winston Churchill who said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself?”The fear he referred to crippled and paralyzed a nation, and was a legitimate fear to be avoided at all cost.

Another definition of fear is that of terror; like the look on my face in a photo snapped when I was crossing the mighty Whitemud Creek. This was an unfounded fear, as the water was only ankle deep.

Then there is the fear that we teach our kids when we tell them not to stick an object into the electric socket. We know that there are consequences that are to be avoided.

This tells me that the fear of Proverbs 1:7 and common definitions of fear are completely different things. The “fear of the LORD” leads to life-giving, respect-filled awe of the life God desires for his people. The “fear of the LORD” draws us into a relationship that isn’t based on terror, guilt, or harmful consequences. It is the beginning point, or North Star which points us to life.

A basic principle of biblical interpretation is to note repeated words or phrases. The words, “the fear of the LORD,” are repeated 21X in the book of Proverbs. Something tells me that it’s an important thing to understand. Something tells me that as I read the Proverbs through this month I need to focus on this phrase in order to learn what God wants to teach me in this book. If I don’t, I’m afraid I might miss the point. Excuse the pun!