Strong and Courageous

I’ll be honest, the drive to school with my boys is some of my favourite time of the day.  I might just be sad if we ever lived close enough for them to walk to school because this is when the good stuff happens.  The conversation and the laughter, the punching each other when we see a punch buggy (even if its in the middle of praying.  *ahem*)  This is life!

This morning as we were chatting about our verse from last week which held the words, “strong and courageous”, we talked about what that meant.

Someone brought up David facing Goliath with just his sling shot, someone else mentioned Stephen being stoned yet not backing down, James being boiled and surviving and Jonah blurting out his few word sermon to the thugs of Ninevah.

Yes, we all agreed that these men were strong and courageous.  But how can you be?  You don’t have a giant to go up against and no one is throwing rocks at you for your beliefs.  What does it mean for each of you to be strong and courageous today?

We came up with this.  Being strong and courageous only looks like saying yes to Jesus.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well, we determined otherwise.  Of course the journey is going to look so different in every person because each person isn’t being asked to say yes to the same things.

Some are being asked to move across the world, some are being asked to adopt babies, and some are being asked to share the gospel with a judge in a courtroom where they’re being accused.

But we’re not doing those things, are we mama?

No, no we’re not.  So what does it look like for us?

Some of us are asked to say yes to raising our hand in world religions class and sharing why Jesus had to die on the cross because the teacher doesn’t really know.  That’s courageous.

Some of us are being asked to disciple others, encourage and walk along side, even when we’re tired and don’t feel like it.  That takes strength.

Some of us are working at home to train their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  That takes strength and courage.

Are we saying yes to these things, little ones?

Are we saying yes to intervening for the child who’s getting bullied at school?  Are we saying yes to being compassionate to those who may not have friends?  Are we saying yes to honouring what mom and dad ask of us?  Are we saying yes to only looking at websites that we know we’re allowed to look at?  Are we?

All of these take strength.  All of these take courage.

It may not feel as big as having a slingshot and some stones but I assure you it is.  Saying yes to Jesus isn’t for the faint of heart.  Saying yes to Jesus isn’t for wimps.  Saying yes to him in all circumstances takes courage beyond what we can muster in and of ourselves.  Strength that on our own we do not have.

May he give you strength and courage to say yes.  Yes to whatever he’s calling you to today.