Bold Humility
Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? In our human state, boldness and humility rarely coexist. And yet, that is exactly how God wants us to behave - with bold humility.
2 Cor 3:12-18
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
(from New International Version)
Because we have the hope that is Jesus Christ, we can boldly proclaim the Gospel! When it comes to eternal salvation, we are asked to be very bold. We can boldy approach the throne of God as His adopted children and offer our worship and praise. We can boldly and without anxiety make our requests known to Him. Because we have the Holy Spirit within us, we can boldly proclaim the truth. And yet, when it comes to dealing with each other and representing ourselves with our fellow man, we're told to clothe ourselves with humility.
Col 3:12-13
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
(from New International Version)
This humility reflects our remembrance of who we once were - sinful, hopeless creatures who willfully turned away from God as we sought knowledge and our own structure for life. Only by Jesus Christ's death and suffering have we been saved from what we deserve - eternal death and separation from God.
During our "Visioning" process, we remember with humility that we daily sin against God as we try to implement plans of our own creation instead of asking Him for His preferred path for us. As we confess and repent of these sinful actions, we can then boldly offer praise to Him who gives us our direction and blesses His work for us with fruitfulness.
Bold humility. It's a better way to live, to His glory!