Boldness and Compassion

I had another strange dream last night. Maybe it was the fact that I watched the movie Luther (2003). Who knows? Anyway, I only really remember the ending of the dream. I was before a huge man whom I knew I could not defeat in a physical fight and I was either restrained or too tired to run. I was sitting there already in pain and agony wondering what I was going to do. I had this feeling that my life was in this man's hand for some reason... and that soon in his hands I would face my end. The man was so full of hate and rage, at first, I was scared but then something changed inside of me. No I did not break my chains and beat the man down with my power; instead, it was something completely different.

I bowed my head, said a simple prayer, and then yelled at the man to do his worst. He began to beat me and I remember there being much pain. Then when he was tired I began to yell at him once more to keep going, asking why he stopped, asking why he does such things with his life? I asked him why he had this rage? The need to hurt another? The last thing I remember is the man giving up, his face began to change from rage to sorrow, I was free somehow and then I awoke.

I woke up feeling scared, thrilled, and bold at the same time. It was so very odd…. I often wonder about my call to be bold as a Christian, to become a godly man and not one who cowers in the face of danger. Sometimes I have odd thoughts of compassion and boldness that seem so stupid to my mind but so real in my spirit. One example of this is a situation I thought of one day, of a man robbing me for my money with a gun in hand. Instead of giving him money and calling the police, the normal and safe thing, I had the strange idea of asking this man if I could buy him a meal instead. I would ask him why he was robbing me. Asking what his life story is and then offering the answer of Jesus, some true hope into his life of entrapment.

Who knows if I would ever actually be so bold. Sometimes we ask ourselves if we would die for Jesus but I think another far better question is: Will we live for Christ? Will we live as Christ, with both boldness and compassion?

Luther was a man of humor, wise words, compassion, and boldness. He fought with a conviction bound to the word of God above all things. I only hope that as I continue to become a man of God and mature as a child of the Kingdom of God; that somehow I will acquire this compassion, this boldness, this passion for Christ above all things - even above my own desires and my safety if required.

- Daniel