Bold Like a Lion

April 28

Read: Proverbs 28

Bold Like a Lion

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (v.13)

There is no “prosperity” in hiding your brokenness. The enemy leverages shame to convince God’s people that the goal is to bury our sin deep… hide it… conceal it… “manage” it. This is why passages such as James 5:16 sit so heavy on us: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” There is no “healing” without confession. This is not just a confession to God - it goes beyond this. We need to confess to one another. This is what Proverbs is addressing. The “concealing” mentioned above is not regarding God… we can conceal NOTHING from the Lord! In this way we - as God’s people - are a “royal priesthood” and as “royal priests” we listen to the confessions of one another and offer back the forgiveness and love of Christ! (cf. 1 Peter 2:9) This is why confession to one another is so important, it is one of the avenues that God has designed to dispense his love, mercy, and healing to humanity.

To be vulnerable like this - “confessing to one another” - is not our natural bent. We are all given to hiding… pretending it is not there … or that it is not that big of a deal. you will never experience freedom, fullness, and prosperity until you have confessed your sins and stop trying to conceal them. Who is it that receives “mercy”? “(The one) who confesses and forsakes (their transgressions) will obtain mercy.” (v.13b) God is calling us to “confess” and “forsake”.

It is interesting that this has 2 parts. Confession is not enough by itself. We are called to “forsake” our sin… to give it up. This too requires community. It is Christ who sets us free from sin. It is the presence of God in us that allows us to “forsake our sin”. This is best lived out in community. We need one another to encourage one another in the “forsaking” of our sin. And the truth is, there is another layer to the “mercy” we receive. You see, we obtain mercy not only from God - but also from one another. The enemy tells us that if we confess our sins to one another we will receive condemnation from others. It is quite the opposite though within the body of Christ. Vulnerable confession and transparency between God’s people most often leads to giving one another mercy. The mercy of God flowing through his people to one another. It doesn’t kill the community… it STRENGTHENS it. What is the end result?

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (v.1) Confessed sin no longer holds us captive. When we remain in our wickedness - we “flee” at the littlest things… even when “no one is pursuing” we run off afraid. As we “confess and forsake” we find BOLDNESS… “the righteous are bold as a lion”… Christ makes us steadfast. We are no longer afraid. We rest not in our fake “perfection”… our curated life of concealed transgressions… no - we find boldness in the transparency of our lives and the mercy we receive from Christ and from one another. Who is it in your life that knows all your junk? Have you been “concealing” and “hiding” your actions? There is no prosperity there! Are you afraid… easily spooked… prone to run off even when no one is pursuing? Confess to one another and forsake your sin and you will find boldness and mercy. Love you guys! - JDP