“Bravery comes by not thinking of yourself, but by seeking to bless another.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 26, 2022
Each of you has your own gift from God. 1 Corinthians 7:7
I love how grandchildren are free to be themselves. Spirited. Abandoned. Free. Here is a note I recently wrote to my five-year-old grandson whose bravery I really admire and aspire to:
When I watch you jump off of the diving board into the deep end, play sports with abandonment or wrestle with your brothers, one word comes to mind… Brave! You are brave because you know the best things come to those who do their best. I admire how you’re not afraid to learn something new or to stretch yourself. Bravery allows you to understand yourself, so you can develop into a better person.
Because of your bravery you will need extra patience with those who need more time to process and think about doing something that’s easy for you. And as you mature in your faith in Jesus, your trust in Him will give you the courage to try new things and dream big dreams. People will try to limit you, but trust God with the impossible.
My grandson’s bravery reminds me of the words written 3,000 years ago by God’s servant Moses:
“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you” (Deuteronomy 31:6, MSG).
God has given you a special gift of being you. Not to impress people, but to invest in relationships. Not financial gain for yourself, but to be a generous giver to others. Not to become the most powerful and in control, but to give away authority and trust the Lord for His outcomes. Christ gives you courage to be you. And you know you are your authentic self when you grow comfortable in your own skin, and stop striving to be someone else. You being you, the best gift.
Be brave to be you and you will be a gift to those who truly know you. Your love is a gift that breaks though a hurting heart in need of healing, a grieving heart in need of comfort, or a hard heart in need of forgiveness. Be brave to be you and people will be drawn to you. Be brave to give the gift of yourself to those in need and you will experience God’s pleasure. Very few have the gift of speaking or singing from the stage, but all can offer themselves as the Lord’s living sacrifice of love. Bravery comes by not thinking of yourself, but by seeking to bless another.
“Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid” (Mark 6:50).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for making me uniquely me, help me be brave to embrace and celebrate who I am, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
How can giving the gift of myself help me to be brave and bold for God?
Related Reading
Joshua 1:1-9; Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 15:42-45; Luke 9:51-54
Worship Resource
We the Kingdom: Dancing On The Waves
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