The many faces of courage

The word courage usually brings to mind visions of Daniel in the lion’s den, David facing the giant Goliath, Elijah confronting the priests of Baal, or perhaps Deborah[1] and Barak—all legendary heroes who fought against formidable odds, or took a stand against evil. There are, however, other kinds of courage manifested in the actions of ordinary individuals, who in times of personal crises, exhibit pluck, daring, and sometimes, momentary bravery.

Poesy learns to climb the stairs, poolside, Hotel Zaza, Houston, TX, USA 3.JPG (Photo credit: gruntzooki)

This attribute is no respecter of persons: it’s found in young and old, privileged and poor, sinner and saint. In thinking about the topic and considering various Bible examples, I noted a common thread: the courageous person leaves a comfort zone to make difficult decisions, and then is compelled to follow through with actions having known or unknown consequences.

For instance, consider Paul, who after having so violently persecuted the church, repented, and then humbly but resolutely faced the very group he had savaged. He served them until his dying day, and there undoubtedly were those who never forgot his hurtful deeds.

Hebrews 11:35-38 speaks of that great anonymous group of believers who endured incredible suffering, and bravely held on, faithful, unflagging in their zeal–of whom, the scripture says, “… the world was not worthy….” (vs 38).

In this week’s posts we’ll be visiting the lives of some noteworthy women and an exceptional young girl, all of whom faced difficult challenges and risks. Through some inner strength we call courage, they were able to prevail.