We seem to live in a world that likes absolutes. We prefer black and white to shades of gray. It’s easier to be “pro” this or “anti” that than to admit we have a divided opinion on a topic. This train of thought came to me this morning as I was reading from Proverbs, a book full of wisdom statements offered as absolute truth.
“The righteous are as bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1). Really? Always?
Proverbs often speaks in sweeping lines. It paints with confident strokes, offering statements that feel too certain for the complicated lives we actually live. “The righteous are as bold as a lion,” we’re told. And yet many sincere followers of Christ would hesitate to describe themselves as bold. Faithful, perhaps. Trying, certainly. But bold as lions?
The truth is that many of the “absolute” statements in Proverbs are intended to make us think. The point isn’t to relate factual truth, but to offer us the opportunity for reflection. This proverb doesn’t suggest that the righteous are to stalk prey, roar loudly, and devour fearlessly. It doesn’t even mean that faith always brings confidence or empowers us. There’s a deeper truth.
A lion isn’t anxious about its place in the world. It doesn’t second-guess every step. It is what it is, what it was created to be. It breathes and moves with a grounded awareness of its strength. In much the same way, righteousness gives our souls a place to stand. There’s quiet steadiness that comes from being aligned with God. We breathe and move with a grounded awareness of God’s strength in us.
This isn’t a promise that the righteous will never feel afraid. Courage in Scripture is rarely the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to trust God while fear whispers nearby. Think of Daniel opening his windows to pray as we read about yesterday in our Lessons from Daniel sermon series. His boldness came from the conviction that, even in Babylon, God was with him. He didn’t roar, he prayed.
Perhaps this proverb invites us to reconsider what the boldness of a lion really means. It may look less dramatic than we think and more like the struggle for daily faithfulness. It may be the courage to tell the truth with kindness, to love the difficult neighbor, to forgive when resentment would be easier, or to continue hoping when cynicism feels safer.
There is also comfort here. The proverb doesn’t say God expects us to become bold in faith through sheer effort on our part. It simply declares that as we become righteous in our faith, boldness will come. Boldness is a byproduct of our lives becoming rooted more deeply in God’s love. Over time, grace steadies us. Assurance quiets us. Peace calms us. Trust gives us a different perspective.
So if today your roar seems more like a little “meow,” that’s okay. Take heart. Righteousness isn’t about pretending strength, but about trusting the One who holds you.
And perhaps this is the wisdom Proverbs offers us in this pondering. When we belong to God, we can move through the world with a quiet confidence—not because we’re strong, but because our God is.
Prayer: Steadfast God, when fear unsettles me, and doubt makes me timid, remind me that my courage is rooted in your presence. Form within me the quiet boldness that comes from trusting you. Help me walk faithfully today, even if not boldly. Led me by the light of your grace. Amen.
