It Is Courage That Counts
- Category: Gospel Truth
- Date 02-11-2014
- 316 views
“Be strong and take courage, all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalms 31:24). Someone has described courage as a state of mind that enables a person to rise above fear, pain, danger or hardship. Physical courage is the ability to overcome fears of possible bodily harm, while mental courage is the ability to resist worries whether they are real or imagined. Moral courage is the capacity to do the right thing in spite of popular hostility. A courageous person is willing to stand up when other people want him or her to sit down.
Life presents infinite opportunities for success. However, opportunities often come disguised as unsafe conditions which only a person with courage is able to tolerate. Courage is a gift from God whereas fear is a tool of the devil. A person who lives by fear is likely also to suffer from lack of the Holy Spirit. St Paul emphasises to Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Courage is therefore the evidence of God’s Spirit in us and of our trust in God. Addressing Ephesus, Paul further says, “…be strong in the Lord with his energy and strength. Put on the whole armour of God to be able to resist the cunning of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).
David relied on courage and God’s assurance to defeat Goliath and the entire Philistine armed forces. He was only a young boy who went to the battlefield carrying roasted grain and ten loaves for his brothers plus cheese for the field officer. When he reached the combat zone, he noticed that one man, Goliath challenged the entire Israel army and they fled from him, terrified. David was concerned but when he expressed his intention to confront Goliath, his brother Eliab reminded him of his vulnerability. His known work was to look after the family sheep and Eliab blamed him for leaving the flock unattended. He was not expected to venture into the battlefield.
Indeed, David was seriously disadvantaged. He was very young. He was not dressed for war. He lacked experience and was untested in the art of war. King Saul told him, “You cannot fight this Philistine for you are still young, whereas this warrior has been a warrior from his youth”. Yet, David went forward merely armed with a staff, five smooth stones and a sling to face Goliath who carried a sword, spear and javelin. Goliath was disappointed to see that, a small, poorly armed boy aimed to challenge him and he cried out intimidatingly, “Come and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky”. David shouted back, “I come against you with Yahweh”. The ultimate victor was David as he killed Goliath and the entire Philistine army fled in disarray (Samuel 17:17-45). In a situation like this, Paul poses a key question, “…if God is with us, who shall be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
During the Exodus, Moses told the Israelites, “Be courageous and strong, do not fear... God is with you; he will not leave you,” (Deuteronomy 31:6-7). As time wore on, Moses had recognised that he would not be available to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. He knew therefore that without him, they needed courage to ably get to their destination. After the death of Moses, God urged his successor, Joshua, “Be valiant and have courage… be brave and faithfully fulfil the Law which Moses, my servant, gave you….Do not tremble or be afraid because…..your God is with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:6-9).
While handing over the plans and tools for the construction of the Jerusalem temple, David assured Solomon that he would accomplish the task as long as he exhibited adequate courage. He said, “Be strong, stand firm; be fearless, be determined and set to work because Yahweh….is with you. He will not fail you or abandon you…’ (1 Chronicles 28:20). What a grand task it was! How little Solomon knew about the original temple plan! How his courage, coupled with God’s grace, was to be a stimulus to accomplishing the task at hand!
Peter once desired to act like Jesus but he needed courage to do so. One day, Jesus came to them walking on water to the disbelief of his disciples. Taking clue from his leader, Peter mustered a little courage and tried to walk on water as well but he began to sink along the way. As he fought to avoid sinking, Jesus held him by the hand and pulled him to safety (Matthew 14:25-31). By making a daring attempt at what seemed impossible, Peter must have been fulfilled though he got soaked in the process. Such is the joy of taking a courageous step. God is always available to save people who honestly undertake critical ventures in ways which unbelievers might consider as risky.
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it" (Nelson Mandela). Courage is bravery, and it is a trait of strong character. It is the spirit and quality of mind that enables a person to face difficulty, danger or pain without fear. To have courage is to act in accordance with your beliefs regardless of criticism. The more we stand up, the firmer our convictions will be. The happier we will eventually be. Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, must have been very right when he said, “One man with courage is a majority”.
Venansio Ahabwe is a lay Christian in the Archdiocese of Mbarara.
By Venansio Ahabwe
Source: Gospel Truth, Leadership Magazine