Risky Courage… “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take of the land, for we can certainly do it.” Numbers 13:30
Courage is risky because it can be misunderstood and even rejected. The majority may dismiss your courage as unreasonable. You will not always have the majority on your side in decision-making. This is a risk you may need to take. Just make sure it is the Lord leading you and not your stubborn pride. Fearful people sometimes reject courageous people because the pain of what ‘could’ happen, out weights their present pain.
What about the pain that will occur if you do nothing and disobey God? This consequence can be dreadfully painful. Yet many times this is over looked and then negative consequences occur and blame is placed on you. Look at it this way, in either case — the courageous choice or the do nothing choice– you will be given credit or blame. Thus be guilty of the courageous choice and trust God with the outcomes.
Courageous leaders have the ability to see the opportunities rather than the obstacles. Yes the obstacles will still be there, but over time will fade away into oblivion. As the old farmer once said about a large dead tree trunk in his field… ‘You can dynamite it out and make a mess, or you can plow around it. If you plow around it over time it will decay and return to where it came from.’ This is true of obstacles. Focus on your God given opportunities, ignore the obstacles, and eventually the obstacles will decay for lack of attention.
Embrace and exploit your opportunities and you will not have time to be distracted by the obstacles. The majority may be enamored and even paralyzed by the obstacles, but stay focused on the God given goal and He will overcome. Yes, courage and faith are first cousins. You need both, but fear is an evil uncle trying to distract you. Be courageous. God only gives you one life to live. Live it faithfully and aggressively for His glory.
Remember to draw your courage from the courageous one, the Lord Jesus Christ. His courage in you will conquer way beyond your ability to persevere. His daily infusion of courage through the Holy Spirit will defeat Satan’s daily distractions of fear and blame. Courage moves forward, fear sit’s still. Courage is risky, but ever so fulfilling. “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them” (Joshua 1:6). Where is Christ leading me to be courageous?
Related Readings: Joshua 10:25; Ezra 10:4; Mark 6:51; Acts 4:13
Transformational Living
What did I learn from the Lord in today’s Bible reading?
How will I respond?
