The beginning of knowledge is…?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7.

This was the text that we looked at last Sunday at Redefine. We were continuing working our way through the book of proverbs with the young people.

We asked them what words came to mind when they thought about the word ‘fear’ and they said words such as ‘terrifying’, ‘the unknown’, ‘frightened’ and ‘afraid’.

Now is the writer of the book of proverbs wanting us to be scared of God?

No, emphatically no. If we feared him in the negative sense of the word fear, then we wouldn’t want to spend time with Him. After talking about this with the young people, we asked them in what other ways does God reveal himself to us. One of the young people said as ‘Father’. We then went round the group asking for words they would associate with a perfect father. They came up with words such as ‘caring’, ‘kind’, ‘loving’.

If God is all of the above, how are we meant to fear Him? The answer was given that we are meant to be in awe of God. Not frightened of Him, but wowed and awestruck by His magnificence.

This awe and wonder at God is the beginning of knowledge because as we enter into relationship with God, we are on a journey of discovery, learning more and more about God’s majesty and love. After all God wants us to have relationship with Him and grow in our understanding of Him.

Please do continue to pray fro the young people that come to Redefine and all of the other projects that we run. May they be in awe and wonder that the God of the Universe loves them dearly. And may they grow in a relationship with Him.

Be blessed!