Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

When I was doing my graduate studies, one day there was an animated discussion in our English literature class. The point of discussion was a verse from the Bible, Sirach 1:14, "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom". Some of the students argued that if we were children of God and if God were the Father, why should one be afraid of God. Bible is perhaps wrong... some said! Some of the faithful Christians in the Class said it had to be understood in the same sense that we all hold our parents with a "respectful fear". But the detractors were not convinced. If that were the case, why finer words like "Love, reverernce, or respect" were not used instead of "fear", because the term "fear" shows God in a negative frame, they argued.

 Then I got a thought in my mind and I said, "the scripture is right when it says, Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and once one is wise, there is no more fear". The beginning is from the fear of the Lord. From this state of fearfulness or respect, a child of God grows into the freedom of the Children of God. It was much later, I realised the deeper meaning of what I have uttered there in the class that day!

When a Child is born it encounters the world with a cry... leave alone the physical reasons for that involuntary act of the new born, "cry" is associated with fear, pain and trauma. The newborn is indeed frightened of the new atmosphere and it cannot but cry. If it does not, it is understood that it is no more alive. From this traumatised cry, the infant gradually grows into the loving protection and freedom of its family. It's a gradual process. It takes days togehter for the infant  to recognise the parents and later on all others in the family and the world around it.

Same is the case with a Child of God too. It definitely begins with the fear of the Lord. And without this foundation of the "Fear of the Lord", one would be nothing more than a "Dead thing" for one's world around. The Judge in the Gospel (Lk 18:1-8) fails to have any concern for the humanity because the scripture says, "He neither feared God..." His act of giving justice to the Widow is not out of his love for humanity, but out of concern for his own peace of mind. What becomes clear for me from the scripture is this: No matter what ones' educational qualifications are (eg. the Judge in the Gospel), one fails to be "wise" until one's foundation is rooted on the "Fear of the Lord".