Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines courage as “the ability to do something that frightens one.” What stands out to me about this definition is that although the word courage is a noun, it has an active component. After all, part of the definition contains the words “do something.” That definition captures exactly what courage is, right? Courageous people act. They do things, even when they might be scared. When I think about courageous people, the believers in the early church are some of the most courageous people I can think of. They prayed for courage in the face of threats from religious leaders, and then they acted courageously.
Yesterday, we read that when Peter and John, disciples of Jesus and leaders in the early church, were threatened by religious leaders not to teach or speak in the name of Jesus, believers in the church prayed for courage in Acts 4. What happened after this prayer? Believers were filled with the Holy Spirit (verse 31). Next, they preached the word of God with boldness. There is a logical progression of what happens in the lives of believers in this passage. First, the believers pray for boldness and courage. Next, they are encouraged by the Holy Spirit. Finally, they go and preach God’s word with boldness. They asked God for boldness, and when He gave it to them, they acted courageously. After all, it is not enough to feel feelings of courage. True courage acts
I believe all of us want to be courageous people, especially when it comes to our faith. The question is, will we act courageously when opportunities come? Will we courageously stand up for our faith, even when it is difficult? Let’s be people who demonstrate our courage through our actions.
Hopefully, you have been thinking of something courageous that God has been leading you to do. Maybe He has led you to share your faith with someone or serve in the church. Whatever the case, put your courage into action and take one step today toward courage.
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.
11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."
