"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."
Proverbs 28:1
Thoughts on the boldness of lions:
Think of a lion. Stop, close your eyes right now, and picture a lion.
What do you see?
Perhaps a lion watching over his pride with a majestic and intimidating gaze.
What do you see?
Perhaps a lion watching over his pride with a majestic and intimidating gaze.
Photo Credit
Maybe you see a lion being social with his young cub.
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A lion and his lioness resting in the hot mid-day sun?
Maybe you see a lion being social with his young cub.
A lion and his lioness resting in the hot mid-day sun?
Photo Credit
Perhaps you see a lion fiercely defending his pride, his family, with all male gusto and confidence.
Perhaps you see a lion fiercely defending his pride, his family, with all male gusto and confidence.
Photo Credit
Or maybe you even see them for the quiet, patience, stealthy hunters that they are.
Photo Credit
Either way, whatever you picture is likely true and accurate.
A lion is a great and powerful creature, hence the dubbing as the king of the jungle. They are fierce predators, and very loyal to and protective of their pride. They show great affection, both young and seasoned members, and can often be found playfully rough-housing with other pride members, cleaning one another, and even ushering the pride's cubs around, watching their every move with a protective eye.
Lions are very strong, powerful, and intimidating, and I believe that they inherently know that.
They walk in confidence knowing the source of their strength, and the might of their strength, having no fear of opposition or domination.
Lions do not attack, kill, or maim simply because they know they can, knowing the victim to be weaker than them. They do not compete within their own members simply for the sake of proving who is strongest or best. They will not overtake another pride and seek to dominate or take over them as a show of greater strength or power.
No.
Lions walk in a quiet confidence.
They have no need to display their strength unnecessarily, because they KNOW that they are strong. Everyone else ought to know that too, but lions don't go around making sure that everyone knows, because it doesn't matter if everyone else recognizes it or not. They rest in the knowledge themselves, and they are satisfied knowing the power that resides within.
~*~
As Christians, empowered by the strength of Christ through the Holy Spirit, so ought we to walk.
We know our source of power, we know the strength and depth of it.
We know that our faith can move mountains, God willing.
We have the promise of eternal life.
We are secure.
We rest in that.
We should not walk in ways to display our power simply for the sake of showing it off.
We shouldn't seek out battles that are not ours simply because we have the strength to compete.
We should not seek out other churches and attempt to overthrow them just because we think we have a better way.
No.
Rather, we ought to exhibit the source of our power through love, and through service.
Patiently watching, waiting, listening.
Be fierce and quick in defense, show no fear and stand our ground.
But in everything, rest in the source of our power, in Christ Jesus, knowing that the battle is not ours, that He has already overcome it all.
Or maybe you even see them for the quiet, patience, stealthy hunters that they are.
Either way, whatever you picture is likely true and accurate.
A lion is a great and powerful creature, hence the dubbing as the king of the jungle. They are fierce predators, and very loyal to and protective of their pride. They show great affection, both young and seasoned members, and can often be found playfully rough-housing with other pride members, cleaning one another, and even ushering the pride's cubs around, watching their every move with a protective eye.
Lions are very strong, powerful, and intimidating, and I believe that they inherently know that.
They walk in confidence knowing the source of their strength, and the might of their strength, having no fear of opposition or domination.
Lions do not attack, kill, or maim simply because they know they can, knowing the victim to be weaker than them. They do not compete within their own members simply for the sake of proving who is strongest or best. They will not overtake another pride and seek to dominate or take over them as a show of greater strength or power.
No.
Lions walk in a quiet confidence.
They have no need to display their strength unnecessarily, because they KNOW that they are strong. Everyone else ought to know that too, but lions don't go around making sure that everyone knows, because it doesn't matter if everyone else recognizes it or not. They rest in the knowledge themselves, and they are satisfied knowing the power that resides within.
~*~
As Christians, empowered by the strength of Christ through the Holy Spirit, so ought we to walk.
We know our source of power, we know the strength and depth of it.
We know that our faith can move mountains, God willing.
We have the promise of eternal life.
We are secure.
We rest in that.
We should not walk in ways to display our power simply for the sake of showing it off.
We shouldn't seek out battles that are not ours simply because we have the strength to compete.
We should not seek out other churches and attempt to overthrow them just because we think we have a better way.
No.
Rather, we ought to exhibit the source of our power through love, and through service.
Patiently watching, waiting, listening.
Be fierce and quick in defense, show no fear and stand our ground.
But in everything, rest in the source of our power, in Christ Jesus, knowing that the battle is not ours, that He has already overcome it all.
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