Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy is understanding. The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs. He starts out talking nonsense and ends up spouting insanity and evil. Proverbs 9:10, Ecclesiastes 10:12-14

Fear of the Lord is not some spine-chilling terror, but a reverent awe and respect for the majesty of God. It is the starting point of true knowledge and wisdom. Fools lack such reverence and therefore reject instruction and wisdom. The choice is binary. The consequence is binary.