Courage!
Have you noticed that courage seems to be in short supply in this day and age?
What is courage? According to one definition, courage (also known as bravery, will, and fortitude) is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. “Physical courage” is bravery in the face of physical pain, hardship, or threat of death.
We see courage on display every day from our troops defending our freedom overseas, as well as those brave police officers and firefighters that put their lives on the line for us every day.
A few questions
- How would you define courage?
- Do you think of yourself as courageous?
- Can you think of any examples of courage you have seen recently?
Moral courage
But physical courage is not the only kind of courage that exists. There is also moral courage, the ability to do what is right in the face of popular opposition or discouragement.
It takes courage to do the right thing today, to stand up for what the Bible says about right and wrong, good and evil.
It takes courage to live honestly, with integrity, avoiding the “shortcuts” that may get you ahead but take you down spiritually and morally.
It takes courage to honor the vows you made to be faithful to your spouse and stand by them “for better or for worse, for richer and poorer, in sickness and health,” as opposed to abandoning them when the marriage gets challenging.
It takes courage to remain sexually pure as a single person with all the pressure today from peers and the media.
And it takes courage to follow Jesus Christ, no matter how hard it gets.
One more question
- Can you think of any examples of moral courage that you have seen?
This Sunday at Harvest
This Sunday morning at Harvest, I will be giving a message from Chapter 23 in the Book of Acts.
In this passage, Jesus tells a discouraged apostle Paul, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11 NKJV). A better translation of the word “cheer” would be “courage.”
My message title will be “Christ’s Call to Courage.” So come join us in person or watch online.
