admit limit

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” says Solomon, a man known for wisdom.

I have never bothered to ask myself, “Why should this be? How is it that ‘fearing God’ leads to wisdom?”

I have read these words many times before, but it was not until today that I sensed the beautiful strangeness inherent in them. And I wondered what connects the premise with the conclusion.

To fear God is to admit limit. He alone knows when the sun's light strikes a certain crater’s west bank each day. He alone knows the second every new life is conceived. He alone can explain déjà vu. He implants dreams that come true and sends wind to disperse seeds in fields we’ve not seen. Next year, scientists will discover new species; he already knows they are there.

We are limited; he is not. The first step to 'knowing' is the realization that we do not know. To fear the Lord, therefore, is to begin walking with wisdom. Bowing and learning go hand-in-hand; humble prayer and liberating insight are close friends.