By Ann Weaver
Courage:
1: The ability to do something that frightens one.
2: Strength in the face of pain or grief.
(New Oxford American Dictionary)
When you hear the word “courage,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? A spy cornered in a room full of criminals, daring to sound the alarm despite his circumstances? A firefighter, rushing into a burning building at the risk of his own life? A friend taking a bullet for another friend?
Whatever image comes to mind for you, most likely it’s someone doing something “big.” Sounding an alarm. Rushing into a burning building. Taking a bullet for someone else. That is what courage is usually portrayed as, someone doing something that is more than ordinary, something everyone ends up being in awe of after the deed has been done.
However, that’s not always what courage is. It is not only a strength but an ability. And though the first definition might be expected, saying that courage is a strength in the face of pain or grief probably isn’t expected. In our mindsets, courage is supposed to be big, bold, and imposing. Not something used in a time of stress and difficulties that feel normal, everyday, and discouraging.
But going by this definition, courage is not only standing up to a bully or in front of your little sibling when a mean dog comes around. It’s also pressing on after the death of your pet or bearing the pain of a broken leg without complaining. It’s facing up to difficult things, even if it’s something you don’t want to confront. That’s the hardest part about courage.
So we’ve said what courage is, but what is courage not? It is not false bravado. It’s not a reckless, foolhardy eagerness to rush into something dangerous. It’s not arrogance, used when we stilll want to do something that isn’t the wisest choice. Often it can seem like courage when someone does something that looks to require bravery–but how is it brave to jump off a tall cliff into a lake just for fun or speak disrespectfully to one’s parents? These things can sometimes be seen as “cool” or “brave,” but when we look closer at them, they are usually only foolishness.
When I was writing this, another question came to my mind: what is the difference between courage and bravery? Imagine my surprise when I read the description and it said that bravery is courageous behavior or character. I knew the two were related, of course, but I never knew that bravery was really a demonstration of courage.
What does the Bible say about being courageous and brave? Well, many times we are told to be “…strong and courageous…”, and many men are praised for being such. Jesus Himself told people to take courage during his time on earth, and Paul asks various churches to pray that he have courage in different times of his life.
In conclusion, though courage is not always the big, bold thing that we may often think it to be, it can sometimes show itself in that way. However, it’s more often found in everyday life, in ways that many of us may not even think to call it that. Never does it show itself in foolishness or silliness, and bravery is the demonstration of it. I will leave you now with this verse, a Psalm written by David encouraging us to take courage.
“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Psalm 31:24.)
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