Proverbs 9:10 - What is Wisdom

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Message: What is Wisdom

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Solomon proclaims here that the way we begin to understand or comprehend or possess wisdom is by fearing the Lord. This fear is not the fear a person may have of an enemy. Rather, it is honor and love for the Lord. It is to have reverence and awe. It is to resolve to apply what God has revealed in order to live a life that pleases Him in thankfulness for the salvation that He has provided. As Paul says in Ephesians, God saved us by grace through faith and in response we do good works. 

This does not mean that only those with a lot of knowledge or understanding are better suited for this. It is not the amount of knowledge, but the kind of knowledge that is key. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge and it is knowledge of God. The reason I study and learn the scripture is not so that I will be a Bible scholar, but because I want to know the things that matter most. I want to deepen myself in understanding God. He is who matters most. 

In life, we tend to busy ourselves with things that are not directly about God. If my reverence of God and awe of Him is valid and true, then my desire for Him is central in my life. What do I run to in my free times? Is it Him or is it entertainment and recreation? 

Other thoughts
There was an "Our Daily Bread" reading that offered this about the fear of the Lord: 
 
Two current misconceptions have weakened the moral influence of this fear. The first fallacy is that Bible standards for conduct have no authority today. I know of a public school teacher who expressed no shame for behavior that the Bible calls immoral, and he saw no need to repent.

The second fallacy is that if there is a God, He is so tolerant toward sin that He automatically forgives everyone (except maybe mass murderers and child molesters). A woman expressed this view in her letter to the editor of a local newspaper when she wrote of the unrepentant teacher, “God has forgiven him, and so should we.” 

I think this is right on and true. The 10 commandments get removed from people's lives. People do not want to associate with them. And then there is the idea that God just forgives sins automatically.

Promise: To become wise I must pursue God.