Courage

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? – Esther 4:14

There is a character trait that I believe is lacking more and more in every part of our society. It is why we refuse to listen to each other, refuse to face and solve our biggest problems, refuse to face up to reality, and refuse to call things the way they are. That character trait is courage.

The type of courage I am talking about is moral courage. It is the kind of courage that exposes you to ridicule, criticism, ostracism, and the judgmental wrath of others. It is the kind of courage described in the story that has been preserved for more than twenty-five hundred years, and that is the story of Esther.

Esther is a great example of costly it is to be courageous and unfortunately, courage never goes on sale. When the opportunity came to either show up or shy away, Esther rose to the occasion in order to save her people.

You are going to face similar times in life where risk and fear is staring you in the face. I believe that is why the Bible says, “Fear not” three hundred and sixty-five times, because God knows every day there is a chance for fear to make us crawl under the bed, hide in the closet, and retreat from the battle. That is why the first step of courage is just showing up. The best-selling leadership author, Brené Brown said this, “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just to have the courage...to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.

There will come times in your life when you have to decide and decide quick what is first in your life and who is first in your life. When you have to decide if you are going to do the right thing or the wrong thing, your thing or God’s thing. Are you going to be courageous or a coward? Are you going to show up or wimp out?

Dear Lord, I want to be bold and courageous like Esther. When opportunities come my way to show courage, please help me to stand strong and not be fearful. In Jesus’ name, amen.