Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread…, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Since this is in Deuteronomy, it may be considered one of the 400 some-odd Laws in the Old Testament. It can also be said that it is part of the Laws that Jesus summed up in his two great commandments: that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and we love eachother as we do ourselves.
But in the face of evil on earth, it takes courage to abide by the two great commandments. It takes courage to love God, in the face of people who deny His existence and would ostracize you in front of their friends. It takes courage to love eachother, as there are people who will put our values to the test. Will we hold up and prevail or will we slither away, leaving our friends and neighbors to the mercy of those who would try to discourage us, and do them in? As greater love has no one except that someone lay down his life for his friends, are we willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so those we love can live on?
These are the types of courage that gains God’s good graces, for it is divinely noble. Those who truly abide by God have such courage.
What is courage? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines it as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty…” The root of the word, “cour,” is derived from a Latin word meaning “heart.” The heart knows nothing, but it stands ready to pump blood to meet the challenges the mind faces. One cannot have courage without the heart being involved, any more than one can have light in a room without turning on the switch. It’s up to the mind to move the heart into action.
The righteous have courage, while those who aren’t righteous do not. Proverbs 28:1 says “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” It is therefore relatively easy to distinguish those who truly love God and eachother, and those who don’t. The ones who don’t will run away from a challenge that affects their friends and neighbors, while the ones who do will stand and defend them.
Not all people who are rich and influential have courage. Think of the ones in government. Do they take speak for the whole household which are all the people in their charge, or do they merely speak to appease some at the expense of many? Do they ask God to give them wisdom while their household waits, or are they so obsessed with pleasing some that they don’t bother seeking advice on how they can please all? The ones who only want to please some are the ones who run away in the face of adversity, first by denials and then by trying to shake off those who call them into account.
And what about the rest of us who aren’t as rich and influential? Our richness is derived from God, and our influence is with those who know us and with others who may know us later. But there are also those without apparent wealth and influence who trust their own understanding rather than God, who will run away at the slightest perceived threat. They have no faith because faith requires trust. They have no morals, because morals take courage to uphold them.
And as we go forward, those who seek to have the courage to uphold the morals favored by God, should know their relationship with God in matters requiring courage are expressed by Joshua 1:9 in which God says, “…Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And to be sure, Psalm 28: 7 says “The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped…”
But in the face of evil on earth, it takes courage to abide by the two great commandments. It takes courage to love God, in the face of people who deny His existence and would ostracize you in front of their friends. It takes courage to love eachother, as there are people who will put our values to the test. Will we hold up and prevail or will we slither away, leaving our friends and neighbors to the mercy of those who would try to discourage us, and do them in? As greater love has no one except that someone lay down his life for his friends, are we willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so those we love can live on?
These are the types of courage that gains God’s good graces, for it is divinely noble. Those who truly abide by God have such courage.
What is courage? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines it as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty…” The root of the word, “cour,” is derived from a Latin word meaning “heart.” The heart knows nothing, but it stands ready to pump blood to meet the challenges the mind faces. One cannot have courage without the heart being involved, any more than one can have light in a room without turning on the switch. It’s up to the mind to move the heart into action.
The righteous have courage, while those who aren’t righteous do not. Proverbs 28:1 says “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” It is therefore relatively easy to distinguish those who truly love God and eachother, and those who don’t. The ones who don’t will run away from a challenge that affects their friends and neighbors, while the ones who do will stand and defend them.
Not all people who are rich and influential have courage. Think of the ones in government. Do they take speak for the whole household which are all the people in their charge, or do they merely speak to appease some at the expense of many? Do they ask God to give them wisdom while their household waits, or are they so obsessed with pleasing some that they don’t bother seeking advice on how they can please all? The ones who only want to please some are the ones who run away in the face of adversity, first by denials and then by trying to shake off those who call them into account.
And what about the rest of us who aren’t as rich and influential? Our richness is derived from God, and our influence is with those who know us and with others who may know us later. But there are also those without apparent wealth and influence who trust their own understanding rather than God, who will run away at the slightest perceived threat. They have no faith because faith requires trust. They have no morals, because morals take courage to uphold them.
And as we go forward, those who seek to have the courage to uphold the morals favored by God, should know their relationship with God in matters requiring courage are expressed by Joshua 1:9 in which God says, “…Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And to be sure, Psalm 28: 7 says “The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped…”
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