Bold Humility

 

I was recently at a pastors conference and the speaker challenged us to embrace to seemingly opposite qualities – boldness and humility.

In many ways those are opposites. But they can be complimentary in the lives of pastors and non-pastors alike. 

I won’t rehash someone else’s ideas but the point was to have boldness and confidence in proclaiming Jesus and serving him. At the same time, we must also embrace humility as we imitate Christ’s selflessness in the way we live. 

Bold humility is not an oxymoron when we define our terms. Our confidence is not an arrogance founded on our own merits. It is based solely on our risen Savior (see Philippians 3:7-11). Our humility is not a self-denigrating, “woe is me” attitude either. It is rooted in a gratitude for all God has done for us.

These twin traits can be balanced with a healthy self-awareness. It is easy to let boldness become pride if we lose sight of Christ our foundation. Being aware of our own hearts can operate like a thermometer, alerting us to when we’ve drifted too far into self-focus instead of being Savior-focused.

When in balance, we can boldly “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil.3:14). As we press on, we can do so with a uniform of humility. As Peter says, “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

In our relationships, in our anxious circumstances, in our uncertainties, it is a courageous and bold endeavor to humbly trust God and his will.

One new song expresses this balance of boldness and humility well. Twenty One Pilots are not a Christian band per se, but in their single “Downstairs” they begin and end the song by saying “Cause I want to be the one after your own heart, and I might doubt the process like I doubted the start.” The bold declaration to be marked as David, “a man after God’s own heart” is tempered with the humble admission of doubt and struggle.

Maybe in your spiritual journey you don’t resonate with that tension. I certainly do. Yet I will continue to boldly trust Christ, even in the struggles. Because I know they exist in part to humble me and remind me of my need for God’s grace.

God’s grace is such a beautiful gift, granting us confidence but keeping us humble. May we all live boldly and humbly for Him.

Book Blog

This week's featured book was one I caught the second time around. 

By that I mean that I didn't read it the first time I had the chance. It was one of my Bible or theology classes in undergrad and I remember Dr. Soto encouraging us to read it and do a short response paper for extra credit. I must have felt that I didn't have the extra time to put in the extra effort and I'd learn later how much I missed out.

A few years later, as an intern at my home church, our senior pastor had our elders and staff read it for discussion purposes. I'm pretty sure I read it through at a much quicker pace than our discussions because I quickly discovered what a beautiful piece of literature it was and what a profound look into David's life it was. 

A Tale of Three Kings was written by Gene Edwards in 1980. While it is centered on King David, it traces his life in relation to two other kings - Saul and Absalom. 

The central theme is that God desires his people to embrace humility and brokenness. But even that summary barely does the book justice. It's format is one like a play with short scenes reflective of the biblical text. Edwards does interpretively "fill in the blanks" with some details and conversations but never strays from the spirit of the text.

In the first part of the book, Edwards observes David's responses to Saul - submitting to God and refusing to manipulate things to get what is rightfully his. And he keenly demonstrates that those are the same responses David has towards Absalom, who does rebel against the King and seeks to manipulate to get what he believes is his.

The applications that are made both subtly and overtly are what gives this book it's power. Edwards connects the dots to our present day by showing how the leadership issues in play in the stories of Saul, David, and Absalom are vital questions pastors and spiritual leaders must answer in our day. 

How will we react when the leaders above us seem to be unqualified or misguided?

How will we respond when our authority is challenged?

How will we leave if we are forced out of or called away from a leadership position?

This book made a significant impression on me and I enjoy re-reading it every couple years. The truth of it's insights have been validated again and again the more I've been in ministry. Interestingly enough, I got to observe the very same pastor embody these principles a year or two later after reading the book. 

I've come to believe that David wasn't "a man after God's own heart" because of his courage or passion. I believe he earned that title because of his brokenness and repentance. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's a big piece of the puzzle.