“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1
Proverbs are common sense sayings that are generally true. Generally, the wicked worry about being caught, so they never really relax. The saying goes that, liars need to have good memories to avoid being found out. The person they have wronged may track them down. They double-check their dealings with others, in case someone tricks them the way they have tricked others. The police may be investigating them, without them even knowing. So much to worry about leaves them wanting to flee, but there might not be anyone pursuing. Of course, there’re exceptions, some are so wicked that their conscious are hardened against such considerations.
The righteous however have nothing to hide, so they can be as bold as a lion. They can admit mistakes, apologise and move on without fear of being found out, because they’ve already acknowledged their fault. There’s a great deal of freedom in being people of integrity. If we tell the truth, we don’t have to remember what we’ve told people. If we treat people honestly, it’s more likely they will treat us the same. We can relax without the fear of being chased down by people looking for recompense. Again there are exceptions, some may live in fear of their previous unrighteous life being exposed.
Nevertheless, the righteous are those who have put their trust in God, so while we may have to live with the consequences of previous wrong actions, God forgives and enables us to live with those consequences. He can even bring about good outcomes.
Being as “bold as a lion” is a growing experience as we learn to live in the freedom God gives.
