"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)
God has an answer for every situation we face at work. It does not matter the question, choice, stress, or dilemma. Our Lord has answers and direction for us.
God’s Word says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We, therefore, have our starting point for attaining wisdom. We can define the fear of the Lord as our awareness of His love for us and His constant watch over what we are thinking, doing, and saying at work. Billy Graham has stated, “to fear God is not to shrink back from him in terror. To fear God is to have a deep reverence for Him and to stand in awe at His holiness, majesty, power, and love. Only then will we love, serve, and worship Him as we should”.
Sometimes, things happen at work that we might think are a failure, but time allows us to look back and see God’s handiwork and wisdom. Years ago, I applied for a specialty designation. I worked hard and felt that this designation was appropriate for me. I did not receive it. I was disappointed. However, shortly afterward, I realized that if I had been given this designation, it would have taken time away from the priorities of my business.
God has provided a workplace for us to worship and serve Him, bless others and use the gifts He has provided. It is a privilege to do this but also a responsibility. The only way we can be successful is by applying His Word at work. We will concentrate on Proverbs this year and “take Proverbs to work.” Each week during 2023, we will focus on wisdom from Proverbs. By the end of the year, we will have 52 Proverbs to apply that helps us make decisions, honor God and bless others. I hope you will go on this journey with us!
Taking This to God in Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, my desire is to be wise and do Your will. Help me be constantly aware of Your love for me. May I always remember You are watching me and watching over me. Please give me the wisdom and strength to make correct decisions to honor You and bless others. This year, in my Bible Study and prayer, help me to understand what “the fear of the Lord means” as I wisely walk step by step with you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
This week at work, take time to reflect on Proverbs 9:10. Consider the following:
There are 31 Chapters in Proverbs, enough for every day of the month. Can you commit to reading one chapter a day so you complete this book every month?
Each day you read a chapter, summarize what God has revealed to you in one sentence, and write it in your planner.
Each month, look back to see connections between what God has revealed to you in Proverbs and the circumstances you have used His wisdom.
Write your personal definition of what it means to fear the Lord. A sample could be:
“Lord, You have said in Your Word the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Without this fear, I cannot begin to have wisdom. This fear, to me, is an understanding of how much You love me and the awareness You can see everything I say and do. Out of love and reverence for You, I want to live the life You have designed for me. This means being aware that what You say is wise and what You say is foolish and wanting to please You in all I say and do in my everyday thoughts, actions, reactions, and interactions.”
Be aware that Satan will not want you to commit to fear the Lord and begin your path of gaining wisdom. Ask God for ongoing ability and strength to remember He loves you and desires you to live wisely and, therefore, abundantly. He wants you to have victory in your life, which comes from wise choices, not foolish ones Satan would prefer you to make.
The start of the New Year is an exciting time. A time to look back and a time to look forward. Our prayer is this will be a year of wise living, starting with fearing the Lord and applying His Word genuinely and practically.