Standing at the Grand Canyon (Proverbs 1:7)

First in rank

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." The Hebrew word for "beginning" can mean first in importance, not just first in order. Fearing God isn't step one you check off before getting to the real stuff. It stays the most important thing.

Awe, not cowering

DeWayne shared a picture that helped him years ago: standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon. You feel small and amazed. You aren't terrified it will swallow you, but you respect the edge. That's the fear of the Lord.

Knowledge versus wisdom

At his daughter's graduation, a professor pointed out a shorter line and called it wisdom. DeWayne called back that it was knowledge, and wisdom would be getting in the shorter line. We have endless information. Wisdom is acting on it, including when someone corrects us. Solomon's "fool" isn't low-IQ. It's someone who knows better and won't be taught.

Proverbs this month

A chapter of Proverbs a day lines up with the calendar. DeWayne challenged everyone to read along for the month.

Try this

• Read the chapter of Proverbs that matches today's date.
• Think of a correction you resisted recently and reconsider it with humility.