The beginning of wisdom
by Kathy Matuschka
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Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous (Psalm 112:4).
Read Psalm 112
All week we’ve been ruminating on the righteousness that is ours through Christ alone, and now we encounter a psalm that seems to suggest that ‘good things happen to good people’ – the law of karma. What do we make of this?
If we zoom out a little, we might notice that today’s psalm mirrors Psalm 111, which is about the grace and compassion of the Lord. Commentators suggest that the two psalms are intended to be read together. The two psalms begin by praising the grace and compassion of God and conclude by describing how walking in God’s light tends to affect a person.
Psalm 111 ends with the words: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom …’ Psalm 112 is not about justification, but about our sanctification. The way we see ourselves and the world changes as we seek God’s truth. As we seek God’s meaning in the ups and downs of life, we learn to notice how God is under, beside and within us in all things.
One of my favourite expressions is: ‘Experience is what you get just after you need it.’ None of us is born knowing how to negotiate the most challenging or complex issues that come our way. When Christians appear to be skilled at negotiating dark times and places, it is because they have learnt through experience that they are never alone. Having learnt that God is with us in the darkness, we have confidence to face the next challenge.
So when the psalmist says: ‘They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord’ (verse 7), they are not describing some super-believer who never fears or doubts, but someone who has learnt through being in God’s presence that with God, bad news is never the end of the story.
How have you experienced this truth in your life?
I praise you, Lord God! You are gracious and righteous, and you keep your promises. Blessed be your name forever and ever, Amen.
Kathy Matuschka works as a hospital chaplain and worships at Our Saviour Lutheran Church Rochedale in Brisbane. As parents of three adult children, Kathy and her husband Mark have been taking great delight lately in learning how to be grandparents.
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