Monday 20 April 2009

Background

I wonder what, 'speak your word with all boldness' means to ustoday? To be bold is not to be fearless, but to behave in a waythat is not trapped by fear. It is about courage rather thanfearlessness, accepting vulnerability rather than finding ways ofbeing invulnerable.

There are ways of speaking God's word that may in fact not be somuch about boldness but about being a bully, about forcing one viewonto another, crushing, diminishing, and in many ways subvertingthe message of God's love that is the heart of the gospel (the goodnews of Christ).

In A N Wilson's biography of CS Lewis, he talks about Lewis'famous arguments about Jesus' claims about himself. The logic ofthe argument is that if Jesus claims he is the Son of God he is'right, bad or mad'. Such an argument forces us either to believeor appear stupid. Wilson suggests that Lewis is being a bit of abully, and that ironically this isn't how he himself found faith.CS Lewis was "surprised by joy" (the title of his spiritual autobiography) - not so much by logical argument, butby a rekindling of his imagination through his meetings with JRRTolkien and others.

The Gospel-writer Luke, who also authored Acts of the Apostles,sets out a story of God's gracious calling and sending and we areinvited not so much to agree with it, but live in it. Live in astory where God's love alone conquers through sacrifice and death,and not by might and power. The way we share our faith in God'slove matches the message by being about love: vulnerable love thatis bold but never bullying.

To Ponder

How can we be 'bold' but not 'bullying'today?

1 Peter 3:15 invites us to give "an account ...with gentleness". How has the gentleness of others helped you hearthe good news story of Jesus?

What makes us afraid of sharing our faith withothers?