The courage of one person can make a noticeable difference. One person willing and able to stand for God, and His Word will be a person others will follow. Let’s look more closely at courage.
A few things courage is not: Faint-hearted people are not strong enough to stand on their own. They tend to take the path of least resistance, conformity, and go with the flow of whoever is around. Read on to gain some courage.
Cowardly people tend to be people pleasers above living by personal conviction. Yes, previous trauma can condition people to not be courageous, but there are remedies for that.
Timid people operate from fear, but they can become courageous. . . remember Gideon.
My favorite synonyms and thoughts corresponding to courage are: Bravery, nerve, fortitude, boldness, resolution and daring are a good beginning, but my personal favorite is valor. I find valor brings all of the above into consideration, and adds good character. Godly character. Courage is the stuff heroes are made of.
I see courage as following God’s word and His will when culture has shifted to a place where these same principles are deemed “old fashioned,” not valued, or worse, dangerous. Yes, God’s principles can be dangerous to those who do not like them. Courage is going against the crowd when groupthink challenges the Word of God and logic. It is also being able to say “no” and resist when pushed to join the crowd that opposes God and His eternal Word.
What makes someone a person of courage? Interestingly, I begin with fear. Yes, there must be someone or something we are afraid of. A courageous person learns to manage the fear, and sometimes, though rarely, they overcome their fear altogether.
Understanding our identity in Christ, who we are as children of God, is foundational to developing courage. It is within this relationship that we begin learning all the rights and privileges of this miraculous and mysterious family.
Understanding the character of God is foundational to us grasping and developing our identity in Christ. We grasp His character, often learning by experience, as we press into and test the truths that God is good, strong, mighty, loving, carrying, willing and able to act in accomplishing good works, even miracles, through us.
How do we do that? We stand up. When we stand up one time, doing it again becomes easier, in part because others are encouraged by our example. The courage of one. . . grows courage in more.
My personal definition of courage is: Speaking up and acting for what is right and true in the face of what is neither.
I believe someone who is convinced they are right but are actually wrong, can think they are courageous for their cause, but I call that foolhardy. Why am I so bold with right and wrong? After all I am a fallible person, and fully aware of that fact. I have, however, learned through experience, that when a cause does not align with the Word of God and the character of the God of The Bible, the cause is on the wrong side of eternity. That is not a place I personally like being.
I am not the judge of this, God and the Bible judges us all. That is why knowing the Word is so important. Our responsibility is to keep going deeper in relationship with God and His people. We grow as the family of Christ followers.
The Bible is full of examples of courage. I think of David and his might men. David was an imperfect person, yet God called him a man after His own heart. Gideon was afraid, but with some encouragement from God, he stood up and followed the Lord’s instructions. Consider Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. These following passages are only small examples. Reading before and after always helps with context. Daniel 3; 2 Chronicles 23; Acts 4:23-30, esp.29-30. Join me in investing some time building our levels of courage.
