Moral Courage

It takes the highest kind of courage to do what is right

Text: Josh. 1:9.
The most interesting stories in Reader's Digest are those of the heroism of "average" people in life-threatening situations.
Most people have more physical courage than they realize.
But the man who wouldn't hesitate to risk bodily harm to save someone's life will often be unwilling to risk ridicule to save someone's soul.
Moral courage is more rare than physical courage -- but it is much more important.

True commitment to the Lord is not without its physical dangers. Cf. Hb. 11:32-38.
Our very lives may be required of us: "And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death" (Rev. 12:11).
Paul's attitude serves as a good example - Ac. 20:22-24; 21:10-14.
It is not impossible that such courage might be required of us today.

Peter, the physically courageous, shows that it is possible for a person to have considerable physical courage and still lack moral courage. Cf. Mt. 26:33; Jn. 18:10.
1. Peter denied the Lord three times - Jn. 18:15-18,25-27.
2. And years later, he showed a similar lack of courage in the Gentile controversy - Gal. 2:11-14.
Satan knows very well the kinds of things we are most afraid of:
1. Embarrassment.
2. Being "labeled."
3. Unfriendliness.
4. Minority status.
5. Loss of social esteem.
6. Rejection and hostility.
Knowing our personal fears, Satan threatens us at those points, knowing that we will do nearly anything he says to avoid suffering those things.
If we give in to such pressure and deny Christ, we place ourselves among those who "confess" Christ only when little is at stake.
But Christ asks us to lead a life, in word and deed, which openly acknowledges Him regardless of the danger: "And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God"
(Lk. 12:8,9).
We are not to hide the truth about our identity any more than He did. Cf. Jn. 18:3-9.
To be ashamed of Christ is to be lost: "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holdy angels" (Mk. 8:38).

It is through Christ -- and only through Him -- that we can "do all things" (Phil. 4:13).
1. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (Jn. 14:27).
2. "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33).
There is no need for fear: "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Tim. 1:7). Cf. Mt. 10:28; 1 Cor. 16:13; Eph. 3:16; 6:10,11; 2 Tim. 2:1; etc.
It is a victorious Savior whom we follow - Rev. 19:11-16.

It is the overcomer through Christ who will enjoy heaven - Rev. 21:1-7.
But cowardice can damn our very souls: "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).
We are "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Rom. 8:35-39).
There is more joy in one moment of integrity and moral courage than there is in a lifetime of bowing to the pressure of evil.
The softest pillow upon which we may rest our heads at night is that of a courageous conscience.
What is there in your life today that requires courage?