About what is the beginning of wisdom
Saint Nikolai Mostwise bishop of Zicha and Ochrid
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7).
If someone were to know the number of stars in the heavens and the
names of
the fish in the sea and the amount of the grass in the field and the
habits
of the beasts in the forest and would not have the fear of God, his
knowledge is as water in a sieve. And before death, his knowledge makes
him
a greater coward than the completely ignorant.
If someone were able to conjecture all the thoughts of mankind and to
foretell the fate of mankind and to manifest every mystery that the
earth
conceals in its depths and not have the fear of God, his knowledge is
as
milk poured into an unclean container from which all the milk is
spoiled.
And in his hour of death, his wisdom will not shine even as much as a
piece
of charcoal without a flame, but his night of death will make his death
even darker.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." How can he who has
not
begun correctly, finish correctly? Whoever started out on a wrong path
from
the beginning must turn back and must take-up the correct beginning,
i.e.,
he must tread with his feet on the correct path. He who does not have
the
fear of God cannot have the love for God. What are we talking about? He
who
has no fear of God has no faith in God. The greatest ascetics, those
who
mortified themselves and who for a period of forty or fifty years daily
and
nightly lived a life of mortification until death, were filled with the
fear of God and these, the most sinless among mortals, cried out in
their
hour of death: "O God, have mercy on me a sinner!"
The fear of God is the salt of total piety. If there is not that salt
then
all of our piety is inspid and lax. The fear of God girds the loins,
girdles the stomach and makes the heart sober, restrains the mind and
flogs
self-will. Where is repentance without the fear of God? Where is
humility?
Where is restraint? Where is total chastity? Where is patience? Where
is
service and obedience?
O my brethren, let us embrace this word as the holy truth: "The fear of
the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom." O Lord Almighty, implant Your fear in
our
hearts.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.