The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever! – Psalm 111:10
How does one practice the fear of the Lord?
I guess first, we should ask what does it mean to fear the Lord? The first idea is illustrated very well in the CS Lewis story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Mr. Beaver is explaining Aslan (a type of Christ) to Susan.
“Aslan is a lion, the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh,” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr. Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King; I tell you.”
Mr. Beaver had a fear of Aslan, but at the same time, he had some comfort with him because he knows he is good and not evil. That is one definition of the fear of the Lord. He is scary.
Another understanding is that of reverence, respect, and awe. It is a necessary component of true worship. We should keep both aspects in mind when considering the fear of the Lord.
So, how does one practice the fear of the Lord so we can have the good understanding the Psalmist wrote about?
Since God has gone to the trouble of giving us his word in the Bible, proper respect and reverence include to learning and paying attention to his word.
God’s word addresses all areas of human life. One who fears the Lord will take God’s word on any subject before anyone else’s word on the subject.
Take scientific study for example. Scripture tells us God made all that is, and he sustains all that is by the power of his word. That is what holds everything together. Does this mean we demean science or ignore it? No, not at all. But when scientists begin to propose hypothesis contrary to God’s word, one who fears the Lord will put their confidence in God’s word first. Since God is the creator and sustainer, there are things about his creation that he knows much better than any scientist. Our Scripture tells us that practicing the fear of the Lord will give us “good understanding.”
There are times when it seems God’s word and “proven science” are at odds. I don’t believe they are. What I believe is that either we don’t properly understand God’s word on the subject or our scientists just don’t have the complete story yet. As a believer, I will, with humility, hold the two in tension. Science is always developing further understanding. There are many “truths” that were held only a few decades ago that are now overthrown with further discoveries. Given enough time. science will eventually catch up with a proper understanding of God’s word.
Some may find it easier to accept my proposition in the area of softer science like psychology and social sciences. We will better understand human behavior if we start with a Biblical anthropology. Secular science makes very different presuppositions about the nature of man than does God’s word. One who fears the Lord will have good understanding.
These same principles apply to business and economics and government as well. There is no area of human endeavor that is not addressed in some fashion by God’s word. The Bible isn’t a science book or a detailed history book, although it contains a lot of history and some insights into science. It is a book of revelation in which God reveals himself and instructs us in how to know him first of all and then how to live in the world he has created.
The first step of living well in the world he has given us is to receive his promise of reconciliation in Christ. Then, we can begin to fear the Lord properly and gain a good understanding. Those of us who have received God’s reconciliation need to learn better how to practice the fear of the Lord. The result? We will glorify God and enjoy him forever.
