The Noble

For Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Proverbs 30:29-31

29 Three things are stately in their tread;
four are stately in their stride:
30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
and does not turn back before any;
31 the strutting rooster, the he-goat,
and a king whose army is with him.

They feel a sense of nobility who feel confident in their position. The lion, by virtue of his strength and size; the rooster who protects his hens; the he-goat who heads the rest of the flock; and the king who possesses might - each of these carry with them a sense of nobleness which comes from their sense of confidence or security. And that noble bearing has the added effect of increasing their courage so that when a threat comes upon them, they will defend the den, territory, or home for which they are responsible.

These examples before us are not viewed for their aggressiveness. Even the lion is not depicted as an aggressor but as one who will "not turn back from any" who threatens. He is king wherever he walks, not fearing an attack. Likewise a king with his army. He need not fear. Rather, he and the lion and the rooster and the he-goat may be attentive to their responsibility to watch over and protect those under them.

Thus, they do not walk about in a hulking manner, trying to intimidate anyone they meet. They are not bullies who feel that they have something to prove or who are mean-spirited. They are strong, but strong with the knowledge of their responsibility. That is what makes them noble even if they are no more than a rooster or a goat.

And you? Does responsibility ennoble you or debilitate you? Does power fill you with a sense of responsibility to exercise it wise and for good purpose, or does it lessen your sense to care for the weak and any under your authority? Whether you are a mighty lion or a strutting rooster, a king with an army or a he-goat with a flock, it is the spirit of your inner being that ultimately determines whether your outward bearing is noble or ignoble.