Walk of Life – Day 28 – July 2020 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs

“The righteous are bold as a lion” Proverbs 28:1

Have always been amazed at this verse. If you are right, you are bold. There is nothing to hide or feel afraid about. Bold as a lion is a very strong allegory indeed. The lion is the king of the jungle, unfazed by any danger, strong and bold, no other animal is able to stand before it. Boldness is facing your fears upfront. Boldness is something that all of us long for…we teach our children to be bold not timid. Boldness is born out of righteousness. When you are straightforward, very clear in your stand, a person who can clearly say that black is black and white is white, without trying to compromise just for the sake of pleasing people, you are bold. There is no fear if you are 100% sure that something is right.

Consider the martyrs over the ages, in the face of death they could boldly say Christ is my everything. These people were not afraid of death itself because they had a strong hope that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I was reading about Catherine of Alexandria, who lived in AD 287 – 385, the daughter of a Roman governor. She boldly questioned the emperor for persecuting Christians. A lot of people in audience accepted Christ. Being sentenced to death, as she awaited her execution, each one of the 200 visitors who visited her in prison accepted Christ. So strong and bold was her witness. Truly she was as bold as a lion, no matter what happens I will stand for my Lord, for the truth, for the proclamation of the Gospel, for His Name to be glorified. This is just one name, there are millions over the ages, who stood strong for the Lord Jesus and never feared anything, be it kings, emperors, the amphitheater, the gas chamber, or the spike wheel! They stood strong in the righteousness of Christ, bold and strong as lions!!

It is good to remember these truths always:

• Boldness comes by placing our trust and hope in the Lord So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!” (Psalm 31:24, NLT)
• When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we walk in boldness. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31b, ESV)
• The calm assurance that the Lord is always with us will make us bold. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, ESV)
• Spending more time with the Lord will make you bold. “On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.” (Psalm 138:3, NASB95)
• The Lord will fight our battles, that will give us boldness. Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed . . . for the one with us is greater than the one with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7, NASB95)

The Lord Jesus, our perfect example could boldly speak against the Pharisees and Sadducee calling them hypocrites and white-washed walls.  Are you bold as a lion? Will you stand up for Jesus, no matter what the consequence.