“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.”
When I saw that quote by Mark Twain, I thought about the movie, Courageous. It demonstrated effectively both kinds of courage–physical and moral–and showed that if you’re courageous, with God’s help, you can truly change.
I never “review” movies, and I’m not doing that today. But every parent, grandparent, married couple, father, and family with their teens needs to see this movie. I haven’t laughed so hard or cried so many tears in a movie in a long time. The critics’ movie reviews are mixed, but the valuable truths in this great movie are not. See it soon.
What Is Courage?
What is courage? I once wrote that “Courage is the ability to determine what is valued. It is reaching beyond myself to a strength that is greater than my own and being willing to stand with Christ, with a faith that is greater than fear.” Many have lost that ability to determine what is true, valuable, and honorable.
When the exhortation, “Just do what is right!” shrinks in its importance and turns to “Do what seems right in your own eyes,” the right kind of changes will never come. Perhaps that’s because real courage is a “God-thing.” And “doing what is right” means basing my every decision on biblical values, on what is right in God’s eyes.
That’s what makes us courageous, and that’s the underlying message of the movie, Courageous. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure and watch the movie trailer here.
Finding Courage to Change
What needs change in your life? Attitudes? Values? Lifestyle? Habits? Whatever it is, God can and will give you the courage to change. I love these biblical promises:
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you (Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT).
God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7, CEV).
I’m not sure how many of my readers are dads, but I once wrote this poem for fathers. However, the underlying principles could apply to all of us:
Courageous Fathers
by Rebecca Barlow Jordan
As courageous fathers,
they faithfully obey
and seek to honor Christ as Lord.
They fervently pray
for walls to break, for men to take
their rightful place again.
Accountable commitment
describes these kind of men.
They pledge their time, their loyalty,
to God and to their family,
uniting hearts together
to maintain integrity.
What changes do you need in your life? Where do you need God’s courage to change?
