COURAGE!

On Wednesday afternoon, Americans were swept into a storm of words following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Whatever you think of his politics, he was a man of genuine Christian faith, fearless in his convictions, and a leader to millions of America’s youth. What I admired most about him was his courage—his willingness to face opponents directly, answering with humor and wisdom. His boldness inspired countless young Christians to live out their faith, even in the face of cultural contempt.

If we want to live rich and full lives, one of the greatest needs is courage—a willingness to do hard things, to wrestle with convictions, to dig deep for truth. Nobody accomplishes much by drifting with life’s currents or by shaping their values to whatever ideas happen to be blowing in the wind.

But let’s not confuse courage with arrogance or combativeness. Courage doesn’t mean shouting down opponents or charging into every situation ready for a fight. More often, it means choosing to do the right thing, to live the right way, to stay on course despite criticism or circumstances that seem to have gone wrong. Courage resists the urge to react and instead chooses to respond.

In Luke 19, we find the story of Jesus noticing Zacchaeus, a man of short stature who had climbed a tree to see Him. Zacchaeus was a tax collector—an outcast, despised for working with the Romans, and most likely dishonest. Still, Jesus stopped, spoke to him, and invited Himself to dinner at his house. Sitting at a tax collector’s table was not a way to polish one’s reputation—but Jesus did it anyway. Why? Because He saw a man hungry for God, and with courage, He pointed him to life.

What makes the story even more remarkable is that Jesus was just days away from the Cross. He knew the suffering, rejection, and the weight of humanity’s sin that awaited Him in Jerusalem. Yet He kept courageously loving the least and seeking out the lost. Oh, to be like Jesus.

Your life will bring situations that take you where you don’t want to go. People you love will fail you. And, being human, you will make mistakes and live with their consequences. In those moments—will you collapse, or will you “take courage”?

Hebrews 6 offers this assurance: “We who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” (NLT) What a privilege to rest in Christ, to bring before Him what we did not foresee, and to trust Him as our faithful guide.

Is your heart anchored in the unchanging Christ? That anchor creates courage—keeping us from panic when life’s chaos strikes. Christians can run to Christ for solace and strength. In Him, they find courage to face the day and live for His purposes.

Take Courage, Christian. How?

• Pray constantly. Keep yourself God-aware—even in sighs, silence, or waiting. Share your burdens with Jesus.
• Worship regularly. Not just in a church building, and not superficially, but from the heart—renewing your faith in the Father’s love, every day, everywhere.
• Fill your mind with God’s truth. Scripture is an antidote to fear. (Suggested passages: Psalm 37, Ephesians 1, Romans 8.)
• Practice good self-care. Exhaustion fuels fear. Even Jesus stepped away to rest and renew.
• Choose one faith-filled, forward-focused action today.

The Word points us to the example of Jesus. My prayer is that as you read, you will “take courage,” choosing the right path with steady faith.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:1-3, The Message)

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“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”  --    Theodore Roosevelt

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May I Have this Dance?

There is a peace promised by God to those who love Him, a serenity that flows from letting Him lead in the dance of life. Do you know how to dance with Him?

Many years ago, I thought that learning to swing dance with Bev would be fun. “Take dance lessons,” I thought to myself, “She will love it.”   Our instructors opened the first session by putting on a song and showing us the end result they hoped to teach us to achieve; two people, moving as one, gracefully across the floor. I loved the beauty of it.  Alas, the connection between my head, my heart, and my feet is faulty. To this day, despite the desire, I have never learned to dance with grace!

The instructors of that class pointed out two things causing my failure.

First, I was self-conscious, too concerned with what others thought!
Second, I was over thinking; trying to break down each movement into tiny parts rather than just moving into the music.

There are real parallels for those who desire to live a beautifully Spirit-filled life of serenity and grace. Paul wrote - “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) 

God asks – “may I have this dance?”  He wants to take the lead in our life so that we can move through the trials and successes that come our way gracefully, but we cannot know the best of His goodness IF we refuse His control. We might find the rhythm for a while, but then as we reassert our own control things fall apart.  

It is a wonder to behold when you see a person fully give himself to the Spirit, in complete surrender. He moves gracefully through life; through disappointment, financial challenges, ill health, hurricanes, snowstorms, traffic jams, and temptation. Yes, those who dance with the Spirit live “grace-fully.”

I can really identify with the disciple, Peter. I am too much like him in my natural self; headstrong and impulsive.  After Jesus called him to leave his fishing boat and follow Him, Peter struggled for three years to get it right. Oh, he tried mightily but, most of the time, things turned out badly. The low point was the night of Jesus' arrest and trial. When warned of impending failure by the Lord, Peter insisted that even if the other disciples failed, "I never will!" "Ah," Jesus said sadly, "but you will, Peter. Before the rooster announces the dawn, you will deny me three times."   

A few hours later as Jesus was being arrested, Peter pulled out his sword and made an attempt at defending his Friend, succeeding only in cutting off a man's ear, which Jesus promptly healed, as He told Peter, "Put that thing away!" And, later that same night, in the grip of panic in the courtyard of the high priest’s house, Peter was cursing and swearing while emphatically declaring, "I tell you, I never knew him!"

Fifty days later, at Pentecost, Peter was a transformed man in Acts, a man both literally and figuratively dancing with the Spirit! He gives leadership to the emerging group of followers of Jesus, explains the Scripture, preaches on the street, and courageously faces the enemies of the Jesus movement. He lives with grace and beauty through life.

How does the Bible account for the difference?
Acts 4:8 sums it up, saying "Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ... "
When Peter released himself to the control of the Holy Spirit influence and started to move to the rhythms of Heaven, his life was marked by God’s Presence.

When he came to the end of himself, when he was crushed beyond hope by his failure, God came with the outpouring of His Spirit. From that day, Peter danced. Yes, he made mistakes now and again, but he was a man of grace and power, who spread the message of Jesus and life across the world!

God is asking you today – “May I have this dance?”  He invites you and me to a life in which we are ‘keeping step with the Spirit.'  Listen to the music of the Spirit. Give yourself over to His lead. Be filled! And, start to dance!

Here is a word from the Word – “So I say, walk by the Spirit, (let the Spirit lead the dance) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh (natural person) desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (a slave to old ways) … the fruit (evidence) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5)

Lord, lead me in the dance, making my life one that gives evidence of Your loving Presence. Amen.

Video of this blog

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