Do Not Be Intimidated!
“Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated ... ”
I love this verse from I Peter. “Do not be intimidated...” What a good word for these days in October as we consider the theme of “Staying Power.” Over our next few devotions, I’d like to share a little history about a couple of individuals who demonstrated great courage and remarkable staying power: Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams.
In 1634, Anne Hutchinson left England for the Massachusetts Bay Colony after the birth of her fourteenth child. She and her family settled in the growing city of Boston. She worked as a midwife; and she also began to gain a rising reputation for profound biblical literacy and great religious insight. She had been trained by her father, a respected pastor in England.
The more she taught, the more people came. Her popularity spread and her religious insights inspired. She hosted large numbers of woman who became increasingly swayed by her perspectives. Men, too, began to attend her Bible Studies and her reputation spread.
Back in England, her father had shared his concern about poor scholarship, lack of study and lagging devotion among the clergy. Anne now shared his concerns among church leaders in Boston. There, she saw and heard weekly ill-prepared preachers whose sermons reflected not the Bible or the teachings of Jesus but their own personal prejudices and biased perspectives. She spoke her mind. Not surprisingly, in that very traditional, male-dominated religious environment, those in power got very upset. We will find out what happened in our next segment. For now:
Anne Hutchinson is one example of the many who stood up for their beliefs, regardless of the consequences. Such courage is what our faith was founded on. For these days, consider what kind of courage you need to display, when and with whom. As with the congregation addressed in I Peter 3:14, “Do not be intimidated!” Live out the “staying power” that has been in others, and still can be – in you!
Love,
David
David Jordan
Senior Pastor