Boldness without Pride

Mark 8:27-30, Matthew 16:13-17, and Luke 9:18-21 all tell a beautiful story.  They tell of Jesus asking His disciples who people say that He is and then asking who the disciples say He is.  They tell of Peter responding that Jesus is the Christ.  Matthew continues the story with Jesus’ exclamation of Peter’s blessedness for having this understanding – understanding that can come only from the Spirit Himself. 

I love new insight.  I love it when the Spirit speaks to my heart and opens my mind to the Word of God.  It is just a beautiful thing that I revel in and relish.  It gives me boldness about the work of God, and for a person who is not naturally bold, that feeling can be exhilarating!

But, like Peter, I frequently let such revelations – and the accompanying boldness – get to my head.  Both Matthew and Mark record Peter moving from this declaration to an act of rebuking Jesus.  Ouch!  Peter’s boldness was accompanied by a bit of pride, pride that definitely led to a pretty nasty fall.

When the Holy Spirit opens my heart and mind to new truths, the boldness I feel is often combined with pride as well.  I get a bit cocky and it leads to a crash that takes the boldness and effectiveness right down with it. 

I must remember that I still have so much to learn.  I must allow the boldness to do its work for the glory of the Lord, not for any recognition of my own.  I must remember to have the boldness without the pride.

But when I do fall because of pride, I can be reminded that there is restoration and continued growth.  After all, shortly after this declaration of Peter’s comes the transfiguration, of which he is a part.