To jump to the example of a father, no good Father instills an abiding terror in their children – we all agree on that. But the father whose dealings with their children (good and bad) don’t instill respect (and a necessary form of fear that has to go along with that respect) is not a good father. That is, the father who acts like a friend, an equal, a compatriot and not as a guide, a shelter and a corrector is not going to instill that fear. The fear, however, is not so much of the father but rather of what displeasure (and also what corrective action) the father will bear over the son’s misdeeds. And since the earthly example is just a shadowy figure of Our Father in Heaven, how much more does He comfort and guide AS WELL as correct. And as much as the comfort far exceeds any an earthly father can give, so does the correction (or, if needs be, simple retribution) far exceed the terror of a father’s actions.

With an earthly father, the relationship we have with that father determines our response. Do we respond more in fear to him or to what he will do. But with God, because of who He actually is, there is an added dimension of authority that requires something of us that no earthly father can rightly demand. So the terror of a true son of God is one of not pleasing God. Not out of a legal obligation, but because there is that love of God that can only come from Him in the first place (I John 4:19).

I hope that clears my thought up a little.

It seems to me that the beginning of wisdom would be the acknowledgement of God’s superiority

Well said! That is the gist of what I was trying to say.

It seems like in the Church we have a tendency to stress the power of God, but to me the biggest emphasis should be on His character. If we don’t know (or forget) that He is a loving Father, then we will have a tendency to look at His power in a fearful way. I think this could be because we project our own character on to God and expect that He would express His omnipotence as we would if we were given the chance; corruptly and selfishly. We must view the power of God through the lens of His character, otherwise we will end up, at best, always trying to appease Him, or at worst, running from Him.

Thanks for stopping by T, make yourself at home.

“The fear of the Lord is the BEGINNING of wisdom” i liked your take on it. It seems to me that the beginning of wisdom would be the acknowledgement of God’s superiority – not in a “he’s gonna get me because he’s bigger” kind of way.