June 4, 2009 Bold As A Lion
Today’s Bible Reading: Proverbs 28–29; Psalm 60; Romans 16
Scripture Focus:
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
Observation:
The imagery in this verse is evocative. You have one set of people (the wicked) who are startled by their own shadows, retreating when no one is pursuing them, and you have the other side—the righteous who are as bold as a lion.
What makes the wicked flighty? What makes the righteous bold?
Part of the answer comes in a the next chapter of Proverbs: The fear of man brings a snare. There’s a lot we won’t do because of the fear of man. What would people think? What if I fail and look stupid? What if they don’t like me?
The antidote to that kind of thinking is found in the next phrase: but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. It doesn’t say we’ll never fail, but we’ll be safe.
Application:
How often is the fear of man holding me back, keeping me from being as bold as a lion? How much could I accomplish if I would trust in the Lord? Wow! I want to be bold today!
Prayer:
Father God, fill me with your boldness today. May I approach each task you set before me with confidence, as I trust in you!
