APLOMB, DO YOU HAVE IT

 

Monday, September 11, 2023

 

APLOMB, DO YOU HAVE IT

 

1 Sam 17:33-36

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. KJV

 

          Aplomb is a strange word to some. It means “self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.” It is developed through privilege. We see it upon the rich and entitled because they inherited it. It is also available through experience. We see it upon veterans of trouble, master artisans, and accomplished athletes. These are those who have pushed through many failures to success. But what does it mean for a Christian to have aplomb?

 

          David had it. When presented with a demanding situation he recounted his past experiences. When he faced his challenger, he declared his confidence in God.

 

          In Ephesians 3:12, Paul declared that, in Christ, we have BOLDNESS, ACCESS, and CONFIDENCE. The word boldness means bluntness and frankness. It respects the hearer but reveres the truth. The word access simply means we are welcomed into privileged company. Confidence indicates a deep settled trust.

 

          Understand this, if you see something that is done well, it is no accident. Someone saw something that was NOT well done and worked to change it. There is an admirable style to things well done. It is aplomb.

 

1 John 5:14-15

14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

 

Dear Lord, I have faced enough demanding situations to be confident of success. Not confidence in myself, but confidence in YOU. AMEN