Mission, Humility and Boldness

I've been reading a fascinating book recently with a colleague of mine at the seminary in Osijek. The Drama of Scripture follows the threads that connect the biblical books while also unpacking several main themes of the Bible such as Creation, Kingdom, Redemption and Salvation.

Towards the end of the book, in Act 5, the authors notice that in Luke's telling of the story "Mission is first of all an act of the Spirit". 

How could I argue with that? 

And yet, I do feel that often mission is discussed in ways that depend on our initiative, our enthusiasm and our effort. Part of that, I think, is because the early church was both enthusiastic and devoted to being witnesses. We certainly don't see a passive church in the book of Acts. The book is called Acts of the Apostles after all. Which leads me to the question: how do we both allow the Holy Spirit to lead, while also being proactive as Christ's witnesses? 

I believe the answer is found in a combination of humility and boldness. 

Humility because our efforts as the Church are part of God’s plan from the foundation of the world. This mission was not our idea, but God’s. The Lord has already gone before us, and the power belongs not to us but to the Spirit. We are also reminded that we stand among a great multitude of witnesses who have gone before us in faith. As individuals, we can do nothing on our own. 

Yet alongside this humility there must also be boldness. God the Father has given us a purpose. The Spirit gives us power. And when the disciples asked Jesus,  in Acts 1:6 “Will you...?”  He answered, “(No,) you will…” (1:8) The continuation and expansion of Jesus’ ministry has already spread throughout the world, and we have been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit — dunamis.

This combination of humility and boldness reminds me of a current Croatian hero - Luka Modrić. (The World Cup is less than a month away!)

As incredible as Luka Modrić is, he cannot control an entire soccer match. He cannot micro-manage every pass his teammates make or every move of the opposing team. There must be a certain openness and calmness in the way he plays. Yet there must also be boldness in the way he runs across the field, finds space, and controls the ball. That combination often comes with maturity and experience. 

In many ways, Modrić plays with humble boldness. He is quiet and calm in his leadership, humble as a teammate, and open to allowing the game to unfold. But when he has the ball, he is bold — assertive in looking for opportunities and resolute when it is time to take the shot.

Mission, as noticed by the authors of the book I'm reading, is indeed first of all an act of the Spirit. But we are called to be bold, courageous, fervent and devoted. It's this combination that I'm praying for as we continue to endeavor to make disciples in Croatia.