Feb 5 - Psalm 111:10

The fear of the Lord

is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it

have a good understanding.

Psalm 111:10

In the Wisdom Literature of the Bible, this is a common principle. Job, Psalm, and Proverbs like "fear" and "wisdom."

It's not just any "fear," however. "The fear of the Lord" is also translated, "Reverence for the Lord" NLT, "honor[ing] the Lord" GNT, and -- my favorite -- "respect for the Lord" NCV.

After telling us again that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," Proverbs 1:7, shows us the opposite, saying, "fools despise wisdom and instruction."

My favorite example of this is: "How come if only five guys on the planet can throw a 97-mph fastball over the bottom outside corner of the plate ... and all of them have old guy coaching them who can't even see the plate anymore?! How come?

There are a good many more who can throw that hard, but these five are the ones who accepted "wisdom," coaching, and "instruction"! Our verse today says, "[in life]all those who practice it have a good understanding." In baseball, "all those who practice it" make $14-million a year!

God is our coach ... and more than our coach. He is the author of life. He leads, protects, and guides. He shows us the way we should go -- if we'll let him. And those who fear, reverence, honor, and respect him, are infinitely richer than a $14-million pitcher!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's more of

a knuckleball pitcher,

but I'm in the show

and rich indeed