Meek and Bold

Meek:
1. enduring injury with patience and without resentment(mild)
2. deficient in spirit and courage (submissive)

from Webster's online Dictionary, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
Bold:
1. without fear
2. confident, assured
3. adventurous, free


from Webster's online Dictionary, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary

God is teaching me how these two are related and not opposites.

To me, I have in the past struggled with being meek. I seem to get defensive fairly easy when people take me out of context or try and manipulate what I say about my faith. Also I get very angry when people think that I should be perfect because I am a Christian. Meek seems hard for a Christian, I mean how am I supposed to go after people for Christ and still be meek. Doesn't it seem to you that meek can sound as if we give up? If we are supposed to be submissive, then how are we supposed to also be bold.
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 (NIV)
"Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 28:31 (NIV)

But I don't think this means that we should let things get in the way. It just means that let God worry about things and do not fear others.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 (NIV)

I think God is saying through Paul and Jesus that we should submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit and submit to the will of the LORD. But we should also take courage in the fact that we have nothing to fear.

In the past I think I might have had the wrong image of "bold" and "meek". Being bold isn't being forceful and without tact. Being meek is not having a submissive look on other people's views. We can not be silent, Jesus is pretty clear on that I think. NO, now I see being bold just literally as the dictionary says. Without fear. Meek I see differently now too. I think he is saying that we must be submissive to the spirit. Submissive. Let God do what he wants in your life, after all he made us. I think he would know what is best.

Another note, as I read through Kolia's email he pointed out,"When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate (console)." Taken from 1 Cor. 4:9-13. This was very helpful for me. This relates to being meek very well. It also relates to what I have been thinking a lot about lately with enemies. People can do what they want to us, it doesn't change the fact that we are called to love them. We need to look at our enemies in this way.

Also, it is important to remember that the only reason we have enemies is because the Devil is afraid of us and is trying his best to stop what God is doing through us in different ministries. I have always taken this as encouragement because it reminds me what I am doing is for the right side and what I am doing is changing things. Don't you enjoy making it harder for the Devil to tear you down?