We've often read verses about humility: (i.e.)
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you," (1 Pet 5)
But then, at the same time we also read verses about boldness: (i.e.)
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:15)
But how do those fit together? How can we be both bold and humble at the same time? Aren't they kind of like opposites to one another?
Often times we think, I must be humble before God, so sometimes we try to make ourselves more meek and lowly, just like the tax collector who repented before God, unwilling to even lift up his head toward Heaven. But at the same time we remember we have to be bold, just as the author of Hebrews exhorts us to be.
Not sure if this is relevant, but I just wanted to share with everyone some of my thoughts through some bible study passages and meditating on it in prayers.
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"When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Mt 8:1-3)
Here we see a leper who comes before Jesus, asking to be healed, which seems like a common scenario for Jesus since we read about how lepers came before Jesus all the time. But lepers typically try to stay away from groups of people. In the old testament, a leper must shout "unclean, unclean" (Lev 13:45), to prevent them from infecting others with their illness since it's contagious.
Having said this, the leper should have had two concerns. Firstly, he would be concerned about the multitudes around Jesus, because perhaps it'd feel safer in an isolated environment where he can't spread it. And second, about how others would look at him for having ignored the rule to be outside of the camp. But the leper doesn't just ignore these concerns out of sheer selfishness or ignorance, but rather he approaches the Lord with both boldness and humility. Boldness, because he was unafraid of the other circumstances around him, and he was full of faith to trust that Jesus would be able to heal him; he didn't doubt Him for a second. And humility, because he completely submitted himself to the will of God, allowing for whatever God had in store for him to be done.
In the same way, this is also how we must be both bold and humble. As the verse in Hebrews says, we must be bold to approach His throne of grace. Sometimes we feel like we're so distant from God because we've drawn so afar off -- perhaps we haven't spent time with God in the last few days, weeks, months, or even a year, perhaps we can't overcome sinful lusts or media and temptations, or perhaps we've made mistakes that we feel like God would just cast us off. In these situations, we shouldn't try to be "humble/shy" to distance ourselves from God, but rather to boldly come before Him eagerly.
However, when we do come before Him, we must become like this leper and the tax collector, to submit ourselves under the hand of the mighty God, knowing that we are powerless, but at the same time having the faith that He can make us clean.
Therefore, let us not be neither humble or bold in our own eyes, but according to what Jesus has shown that we should be, and draw ever closer to Him each day we live.
Emmanuel
