Transformation (part 3)

"Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance -- for understanding proverbs and parables, the saying and riddles of the wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools (morally deficient) despise wisdom and discipline." -Proverbs 1:5-7

Once John returned from San Fransisco, I was quite surprised to hear that much had changed in his life. There was something definitely different in his demeanor. He was blessed with an insatiable curiosity, not for being able to tell the future so that he could gain a sense of control in his life, but rather for the mystery that is God. He no longer cared about the outcome of his life, but instead, he simply wanted to know God. I was bombarded with questions about the Christian faith; and though I felt inadequate to properly articulate the answers John was searching for, I answered them to the best of my abilities and with ecstatic enthusiasm.

Needless to say, the fear of the Lord came up in one of our conversations and we spent quite some time discussing the significance behind this concept as Christians. Now that John had made the internal decision to challenge his faith in God, the next step was to understand the wisdom behind God's divine power. I remember sharing this scripture with John and trying to explain what it means to me to fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is not confiding in "fire insurance" because you don't want to be damned to Hell for all eternity, nor does it mean you should obey the Lord simply because you fear Him, because I don't believe this is the kind of fear God wanted to portray to his Children.

John was a new man and I was digging every moment of it because it was so exciting to see how God was using such a terrible Christian such as me to be a part of John's transformation; but more importantly, I was so enamored with God's love in the way He was using John to be part of my own transformation as well. However, we shall address this in greater detail later.

John began asking questions about obedience and duties we must fulfill as Christians and I really wanted to highlight the fact that obedience should not be out of fear, but out of reverence and love. There are many benefits behind the wisdom of God and in order to fully acknowledge the greatness behind His divinity, we must first humble ourselves and acknowledge that we are truly insignificant when it comes to pitting our fallible understandings against that of God's. In order to better understand this, briefly think of someone in your life that you hold in high regard. Ask yourself, "Why do I respect this individual?" What has this person done, shown, or said for you to acknowledge that he/she is worth respecting? Then you might reach the conclusion that you respect this person because you feel like you could learn something from him/her. In the very least, you may hold this person in high regard because you look up to him/her. Respect is one of the first signs of humility and therefore, it is very crucial for you to respect God's divinity: and once you can truly grasp onto such a respect, you will begin to learn why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 3:1-8 does a great job or articulating just that.

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

Essentially, your reverence and love for God allows you to respect Him enough to humble yourself to His teachings and submit yourself to his divine power. Your respect for God allows you to see the magnitude of His greatness and therefore cannot help but to fear the limitless power of God. As a result, the fear of the Lord does not cause you to love and respect God, but rather because you love and respect Him, you fear Him out of reverence. I don't believe you can truly fear God until you acknowledge and respect Him first. Most importantly, the fear of the Lord should never be so because you are afraid to go to hell; because if that is the only reason why you fear God, then you should really ask yourself, "Do I truly KNOW God?"

Once I articulated my Beliefs on the fear of the Lord with John, we eventually reached the aspect of obedience as a Christian and all the complexities that surrounded it. This is when part of my own transformation began to manifest; because as God spoke through me, He was also teaching me at the same time. That is how great God is.