Markers of a Witness of Christ Cont'd

2. BOLDNESS

So, I Wikipedia'd(?) "boldness" and a very true and powerful description came up.

Wiki:
A BOLD person may be willing to risk shame or rejection in social situations, and willing to bend rules of etiquette or politeness. 

The apostles in Acts WERE willing to risk shame and rejection in social situations, to the point where it seemed as though they did not even consider it a risk - their passion about the message of Jesus Christ overcame any fears of shame and rejection, and they pursued even in the face of jail, punishment, and death.

Let's take a look at Stephen - In Acts 7:54, the people were "furious and gnashed their teeth at him." I don't know about you, but if someone were to "gnash their teeth" at me... I would be pretty scared, and would probably stop what I was doing so that I didn't make them more angry. However, this was not the case for Stephen. In verse 55, "full of the Holy Spirit, [he] looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." After seeing this, he immediately proclaims in BOLDNESS to the people what he saw, and they "dragged him out of the city and began to stone him" (Acts 7:58).Would I be willing to painfully die for the cause of Christ?

Peter and John, IMMEDIATELY after being released from jail for proclaiming the good news about Christ, went to th body of Christ and prayed, not for the opposition to back down, not for God to "save them" from their enemy, but that the Lord would "consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great BOLDNESS." Do I try to mold my prayer life to save me from opposition, or do I pray to be kept from embarassment, or do I pray to be BOLD for Christ?


Now boldness can be expressed in many different ways. Boldness does not have to be expressed in front of hundreds of people - it could be expressed through arguing for creationism in science class, not conforming to others, even when it's "normal",it could be teaching Sunday School to 3-year-olds with enthusiasm, it could be putting aside fear in any way for the purpose of giving God glory. Either way, a witness of Christ is BOLD - willing to be rejected or embarassed, willing to bend the rules of politeness, willing to be politically incorrect, willing to be BOLD. Is that me?