The Lion and the Lamb

“There is a within you a lamb and a lion.  Spiritual maturity is the ability to let lamb and lion lie down together.  Your lion is your adult, aggressive self.  It is your initiative-taking and decision-making self.  But there is also your fearful, vulnerable lamb, the part of you that needs affection, support, affirmation, and nurturing.

When you heed only your lion, you will find yourself overextended and exhausted.  When you take notice of your lamb, you will easily become a victim of your need for other people’s attention.  The art of spiritual living is to fully claim both your lion and your lamb.  Then you can act assertively without denying our own needs.  And you can ask for affection and care without betraying your talent to offer leadership.”

Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love

Within each of us, a lion and a lamb coexist simultaneously.  Sometimes, the lion in us emerges and at other times, the lamb in us spring into action.  We will minister in authority and strength under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord grants ability to minister powerfully in His anointing.  This awesome strength and might can only come from the throne room of heaven.  The newfound fearlessness and boldness replaced all crippling fear and intimidation.  We now wage a spiritual wage fully armed with God’s powerful armour.

On the other hand, we bring comforting words and gentle love to needy people in dire circumstances and predicaments.  The tenderness of Jesus radiates from us to touch someone.  We may be ministering to a mother grieving over the death of a child, a cancer-stricken man who is at the verge of death or a life ravaged by dark and deep depressive oppression.  The Lord makes us a lion and a lamb. 

The human mind can never comprehend how it is possible for the lion and the lamb to lie side by side.  The lion and the lamb are vastly different in character and temperament but the Lord is able to use both sides within us as long as we are willing and available.