Conclusion: Take Courage!
CONTENTS
Introduction: What Is Courage?
1. Why Every Christian Needs Courage
2. Courage to Believe
3. Courage to Be Different
4. Courage to Change
5. Courage to Serve
6. Courage to Struggle
7. Courage to Continue
8. Courage to Sacrifice
Conclusion: Take Courage!
About Our Books
INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS COURAGE?
We live in an age when courage is seldom found and often unappreciated or even scorned when it is seen. Men and women seek to avoid what is difficult, and society attempts to render the idea of courage meaningless or "toxic" in a great many areas. The need for courage to stand up for what is right, for example, has been replaced by the false idea that anything and everything is right if it makes us happy and should not be questioned by others.
But in the increasingly confused and unhappy world in which we live, courage becomes ever more needful. As poet Maya Angelou has written "Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." The need for courage is especially true for Christians, who increasingly suffer ridicule or outright persecution for their faith. Our brothers and sisters in developing nations have experienced this – and far worse – for years, and even in Western nations where the idea of Christian persecution would have seemed impossible only a few years ago, Christianity is now considered a social evil by many, and Christians now commonly suffer active rejection and abuse. Wherever we live, we live in an age when courage is increasingly important and necessary if we are to hold to our faith and help others.
Yet in the courage-rejecting world in which we live today, it is not always easy to know exactly what true courage is. Courage is certainly not the kind of brash or even foolhardy bravado that some people seem to exhibit naturally, and which is often no more than a willingness to take chances. An act or decision of real courage is made with the full understanding that the results may well be painful. The pain may be physical, as in times of war or persecution, or the pain may be mental, as in situations of unpleasant confrontation and controversy.
Courage is also not the absence of fear, and it is certainly not wrong to be afraid; it is only wrong to let fear guide our lives and make our decisions. On the other hand, courage often involves acting in the face of fear – being afraid to do something but doing it anyway. As we will see in this book, the Bible shows that Jesus specifically commanded his disciples and followers to exhibit courage in many areas of their lives. The following chapters will show you why and how.