Social scientists classify religions broadly into two types: revelation religions and wisdom religions.
Revelation religions are top-down. They provide answers to existential questions from a deity above. Knowledge about the destiny and well-being of the people is revealed by God. Judaism-Christianity-Islam are typical examples of revelation religions.
Wisdom religions are bottom-up. Some people have gone through vigourous reflections, meditation, learning and a host other human activities. They come up with an enlightenment, an insight into those perennial questions of human existence. Gradually, a system of teachings, ceremonies and institutions evolve into being. Buddhism, Taoism, Confucism etc. are such examples.
These two types of religions will have different interpretations of the meaning of wisdom. For Buddhism, Taoism and Confucism, wisdom is the fruit of human efforts. It is a distillation of their experiences, an insight into difficult situations, the ability to judge or discern what is right, true or lasting etc. Look up any dictionary and you will find such explanations. For Christianity and Judaism, wisdom comes from God. Therefore, they hold the idea that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Which is wiser? Following the Christian tradition, I choose to continue reading Ben Sirach and do no better than paraphrasing it.
My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for temptation (Sirach 2:1).
Temptation is inevitable so long as we continue to lead a mortal life. There are needs to satisfy and there are many shortcuts to satisfy them. For me, these shortcuts are temptations. Ben Sirach has a lot of advice to offer.
Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be hasty in time of calamity.
Cleave to him and do not depart, that you may be honored at the end of your life.
Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes that humble you be patient (Sirach 2:2-4).
Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him (Sirach 2:6).
Set your sight to the will of God and stick to it. Trust and hope in God. Be patient and not hasty. Do not depart from His will. Then, we will be able to weather through all temptations.
Fear of the Lord is our only defence. In the end, good things, everlasting joy and mercy will be our reward (Sirach 2:7-9). How do we know we will be rewarded? We don't know. Just trust in Him. For Christians, there is a foundation for this trust, the Holy Spirit. Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.
he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:22).
Pray to the Holy Spirit in our hearts to verify. The Holy Spirit sets Christianity apart from Judaism, though they have the same root. Returning to the question of temptation, it is consoling to read that God is compassionate.
For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of affliction (Sirach 2:11).
No matter how badly we fail, God forgives and saves because He is God and our Creator.
What will happen to those who are unsure and unsteady? Ben Sirach paints the following picture.
Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks along two ways!
Woe to the faint heart, for it has no trust! Therefore it will not be sheltered.
Woe to you who have lost your endurance! What will you do when the Lord punishes you? (Sirach 2:12-14)
We cannot take the best of two worlds. If we decide to follow God, we cannot beat the drum and then back off. Christianity is a risky business. Buying insurance does not improve our odds of winning. Once we decide to follow God, it is not wise to walk along two ways. The outcomes are clearly delimited.
In conclusion, fear the Lord.
Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, but not into the hands of men;
for as his majesty is, so also is his mercy (Sirach 2:18).
My dear Advocate, You are my guarantee. Accentuate in me the fear of You to dampen my arrogance. Pray that I seek always Your approval and not man's. Allow me to love You more. Amen.
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