As Bold as a Lion
(Proverbs 28:1).
Boldness is the willingness to take risks and to act innovatively while demonstrating confidence and courage. It takes courage to be a Christian and to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ in the face of cynicism and a culture of doubt and disbelief. It takes courage to speak out against injustice and to demand recompense and restitution when a wrong has been committed.
Jesus demonstrated this boldness even unto the point of death and his life was unconventional, at a time when religious dogma was pervasive. Jesus was not afraid of controversy and spoke boldly in the temple, streets and synagogues, although his message unsettled religious leaders. A den of thieves is what Jesus called the vendors and money changers who sold and traded in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13).
God is a good father, but he is also a God of justice and he hates robbery (Isaiah 61:8). It grieves God when people are treated unfairly. He is a God of vengeance and will recompense when wrongs are committed against the innocent. “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly”
(Deuteronomy 32:35).
“Do not be afraid of their faces,” is what God told Jeremiah, “for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8). So what if your opinion is unpopular and people take offence? Is your aim to please God or to please men? We speak the truth in love and we try our best to be at peace with everyone. There are situations that require us to boldly stand up and declare righteous judgement. The disciples were labelled as, “these who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).
The disciples message was not one of conformity or a passive resignation to things as they were. They were revolutionary in their thinking and approach and they did not care if it cost their lives. Take a stand of righteousness, speak up when you notice injustice and work to establish a world which promotes the truth, that we are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
A.P.-Y
Published by Anneta Pinto-Young
I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession.
Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm.
I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing.
I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages.
View all posts by Anneta Pinto-Young
Published
December 12, 2022
