"The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." Proverbs 28:1(CSB)
Ever noticed…
To a liar, everyone is a liar.
To a thief, everyone is a thief.
To a cheater, everyone is unfaithful.
To a con artist, everyone is running a con.
Therefore, the liar never trusts anyone, the thief is always ensuring he/she isn't the mark, the unfaithful always assumes the other is not faithful to them, and the con is always distrustful of their interactions and ensuring they have control of the perception lest they are conned. The wicked sees everyone they meet is a possible mark or victim; so they believe that everyone they meet views them as the same. It's part of the curse of the wicked, always suspect of everyone and everything. Then there's the ever compounding realization that all they "got away with" is ever trailing behind them. They could be discovered at any moment as well, so they have to keep the past from being exposed while also covering for new endeavors, while also ensuring they are not falling victim to others like them. They are always running. Even when no one is chasing them. Even when they aren't a mark, or being deceived, they believe they are. Relationships even suffer as many times they are kept shallow or cut short. Consume and move on before you're discovered and held to account. Always be on the defensive. Always be ready to point to others to justify your own evil. Always. Keep. Running.
But the righteous have a different life altogether. This is one who does right, even when he/she doesn't think they will be discovered for doing wrong. This is the person of character and integrity. This person knows that many in the world are out for #1, but they do not need to be suspect of everyone they meet as their own conscience doesn't condemn them. They not only do not run from imaginary threats, they don't run from real ones. They are as bold as a lion. Instead they stand their ground, knowing their actions are just and will be discovered as such by any honest reviewer. However in Scripture, being righteous is more than just being a "law-abiding citizen". There is another aspect to being truly righteous, having God's righteousness, that compounds all we just said about this second type of individual. The one who loves God keeps His commandments. It is true that all those who have God's righteousness through Jesus walk in the light as He is in the light. But along with the confidence that are actions have been just our boldness comes not from a self-reliance that we have done right, but rather knowing The Judge of all the earth will judge rightly (I Peter 2:23). Knowing that the God of all creation Who controls and sustains all things is our Protector. The one in Christ rest in Christ. The one in Christ is bold as a lion because his/her brother is the Lion of Judah (Hebrews 2:11) The righteous know that they are so much more than conquerors.
"What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
Because of you
we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39 (CSB)
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