Monday, November 18, 2013

True Courage

What is Courage?  The dictionary says that courage and bravery are the same thing.  The dictionary is wrong.  Bravery is facing challenges head-on without thinking about it, bravery and stupidity are often the same thing.  Courage is doing the right thing even when it's hard.
Mother Tereza was courageous.  She saved lives, a lot of times she would be in the process of saving someone and they would spit in her face for no other reason than that she loved our Lord Jesus.  She had courage to keep doing what she did even though she probably really didn't want to.
My favorite preacher's name is Nick Vujicic, he was born without arms or legs.  He has courage because he travels around the world proclaiming the name of Jesus.  He has overcome not just the physical obsticals but also the challenges that come when people around you say "You can't".  He has courage because he has proved anyone who may have doubted him wrong.  And continued to spread the name of Jesus around the world.
I have courage because I am going as a long term missionary to Russia two summers from now, despite the fact that my peers do not support me in that decision.  Quite often my parents ask me about my plans for collage, even though I have already told them that I am not going.  I hear, "You can't survive in the real world without collage".  God himself has told me GO and who am I to say NO???  If God has told me to go, than he will protect me and provide for me.  I know who I am and where I'm going.  That's why I have courage, because I am willing to listen and obey God's voice even though everyone around me (save a few) tells me "You can't".  Or "It's not possible."
That is courage, everyone is capable of courage if they ignore their inner doubts and obey God's word for us with all our hearts.