Audacity

Audacity

Audacity resembles boldness, except that it is a false boldness. It is just as bad as boldness is good. It is just as superfluous as boldness is indispensable. It is just as improper and disgusting as boldness is lovable. It is just as harmful as boldness is profitable. It is just as difficult to tear it away from its owner as it is difficult to impart boldness to someone who lacks it. May both parts succeed. May God help all of us.

An audacious person is brazen. His neck is stiff and his eyes are proud. In his arrogance he is apt to undertake things that he cannot manage, and when they fail, his face exudes just as much self-confidence as before.

Audacity is not lacking in self-confidence, therefore it resembles boldness so closely. However, the sad thing is that an audacious person relies on himself instead of on the Lord.

Audacity is grounded in arrogance, just as boldness is grounded in humility. “A wicked [ungodly] man hardens his face, but as for the upright, he establishes his way.” Prov. 21:29.

On the one hand, we have audacity, self-confidence, lack of discretion, hypocrisy, a desire to be noticed, preacher’s itch, and the lust to rule; but on the other hand we have evasion, the fear of man, despondency, and discouragement.

Now it is vital not to be so afraid of the one ditch so as to fall into the other ditch!