Sometimes, the courage exhibited by the heroes of faith in the Bible may have seemed foolish or antagonistic to others. Take, for example, Daniel, who openly defied the King's decree (Daniel 6), or Paul, who asserted his Roman citizenship to his captors when they were about to release him from prison (Acts 26). Even Jesus Himself, on multiple occasions, intentionally broke religious rules, such as the Sabbath, in order to expose the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Mark 2:23-27).
Throughout history, God has often required His followers to go beyond societal norms and expectations. While courage is universally recognized and admired, whether it be demonstrated by firefighters rushing into burning buildings, police officers standing against criminals, or a mother battling cancer for the sake of her children, there are instances when God asks for even more. Can we display the kind of courage that Noah did, who built an ark far away from any water source? Are we willing to challenge our persecutors while in captivity to reach a wider audience with the message of the gospel? Will we break social and religious conventions to draw attention to the right path as ordained by our Creator?
True courage emerges when we comprehend God's calling on our lives and grasp the truth. To be courageous, we must confront the difficult question of what obedience truly demands. Do we possess enough faith in God to tread the arduous path, even when those closest to us question it?
We should ask ourselves:
What is my willingness to take risks in obeying God's directives?
Am I fearful of others' opinions, even those closest to me, regarding my words and actions?
Am I avoiding God's specific calling on my life due to a lack of courage to step out in faith and obedience?
By reflecting on these questions, we can assess our risk tolerance and evaluate if we are allowing fear or the opinions of others to hinder us from embracing God's calling on our lives.
