[as]

If we fear God, we will obtain wisdom.

Awesome. Since God gave away the secret as to how to be extremely knowledgeable, all we have to do is fear Him, and we will be wise. And we won't have to wait until we've gone through life to get there, either. It's kind of like a short cut. Fearing God is most widely accepted as having a reverential awe for Him, and I definitely have that, and I'm sure you do too. I've had reverential awe for Him ever since I've been able to remember things, and you told me you've revered Him for years... Excepting that I know I'm not particularly wise, and sorry to say, but you're definitely not. Hmm. I fear God. You fear God. And we're not wise. Is God a liar? Or is fear more than reverential awe? Or what is reverential awe? And while we're thinking that over, what exactly is wisdom, and what is fear?

Oftentimes, when I hear the word wisdom, I get a fuzzy picture in my head of large books with small print, algebraic equations, glass jars filled with steaming liquids, and Akeelah and the Bee.

Fear. It brings to mind visions of big scary things, namely orcs and R.O.U.S.'s. Not to mention the feeling that someone (or thing), is watching or following you. Dark woods and undefinable noises. And also the incident of the spider that was out to get me last Wednesday.

Reverential awe means being deeply respectful, and having an overwhelming reverence for someone who has the power to inspire dread and wonder. [and i have that...i think...do i?]

A more correct view of wisdom would be the knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action, discernment or insight. [the dictionary must have known my parents]

And fear they say, is one step up from being scared. It is a distressing emotion caused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. And Webster is the one who says something more on the aspect of fearing the Lord than "having reverential awe, esp. toward God." Webster's 1828 reads as follows, "In scripture, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear."

All of this is just to let you know that if you'd like wisdom, you must learn to fear the Lord first. Although, I don't believe wisdom is the sort of thing that you know that you have when you have it. But you will know much more about who God really is.

~ Ecc. 1:18 ~ Job 28:28 ~ Ps. 111:10 ~ Prov. 1:7 ~ Prov. 9:10 ~ Isa. 11:2-3 ~

~ and a whole bunch more, go look 'em up ~

~ it's worth it~