"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" (vs. 7).
It is entirely appropriate that Solomon left us a book of wisdom in the Proverbs. After all, his biblical reputation is that he was the wisest man who ever lived.
The aim of his book is described in verses 2-6. Proverbs is designed as an educational tool, to help everyone from the young and simple to those who are already wise and discerning. All of us can grow in our understanding by reading the words of this book and taking them to heart. Step one on the path to knowledge is found in verse 7; it is the fear of the Lord.
Some might want to argue about this. Should we really "fear" God? Isn't that a negative emotion to have toward the Lord? Doesn't the Bible tell us in numerous places to "fear not"? While that is true, it is also true that a healthy reverence for God is a necessary piece of our spiritual attitude, one that will help all the other puzzle pieces of life fall into place.
The "fear of the Lord" described here is akin to what Jesus is talking about in Luke 12: 4-5. Nothing else in all creation needs to be feared if we have a proper regard for the Lord. This is fear not as in terror or panic, but as in an awe-inspiring hush we should have when we humble our spirits in the presence of God. If we set apart God as first and foremost in our lives, as Supreme, then we have truly set our feet on the path leading to knowledge. To try to acquire wisdom without taking this necessary first step will only be an errand in vanity.
The rest of the first chapter of Proverbs is a warning against pursuing foolish wickedness in verses 8-19, and a personification of wisdom in verses 20-33. Here wisdom is pictured as a woman calling out to invite the wise to follow her and bitterly rejecting the foolish scoffers who have rejected her.
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