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We Were Made to Be Courageous

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Courage…

What makes a King out of a slave? Courage.
What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage.
What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage. *

This still remains one of my favorite scenes from any movie.  You know the reference right?  The Cowardly Lion who was afraid of his own shadow ends up putting the smackdown on the freaky palace guards and helps Dorothy defeat the Wicked Witch of the West (“Look what you've done!! I'm melting, melting.” )

So are you courageous?  I think most of us would like to be, but there seems to be a definite shortage of this elusive quality in a day and age that desperately needs men and women of valor.

This is one reason why the Christian film company Sherwood Pictures decided to write and produce the film Courageous.  The story follows the accounts of four Albany, GA police officers, but the real message runs at a much deeper emotional level. The writers felt a growing burden for children who are being raised without fathers and the incredible negative impact it can have on their lives.

And when you think about it, they are spot on, right?  Our dads have a huge impact on our confidence and the level of courage that we take into the world when we leave home.

Maybe that’s what happened to the Cowardly Lion?

And here’s the tough part…

NONE of us have been raised by perfect fathers.  And neither were our dads raised by perfect dads - and the dysfunctional chain links all the way back to the first human father named Adam, who was once overheard telling his kids: “Stop crying or I'll give you a reason to cry!”  And “Don’t make me stop this donkey!”

But the good news is:

We were made to be courageous.
We were made to lead the way.
We could be the generation,
That finally breaks the chains.
We were made to be courageous.

These lyrics from the song Courageous by Casting Crowns is a reminder that no matter what kind of dad we have or don’t have, we all have been made by our perfect heavenly Father to have courage each day and stand up and make a difference in this generation.  We are God’s dearly loved children, and His unconditional acceptance can give us the confidence we need to face this fallen world with courage. 

I know it can be tough to feel courageous when the past memories of our earthly fathers claw at our emotions and drain our strength, but let me remind you of the awesome power of this promise in the God’s Word:

Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children. For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children, and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God:  Father! My Father! God's Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God's children (Romans 8:14-16).

Our heavenly Father is the Dad for which we have always been looking.  He isn’t distant or angry, He is never moody or irritable.  He thinks about you more than you could possibly imagine.  He’s never too busy running the universe to listen to you or talk about your day.

In fact, I imagine that if my Father has some sort of wallet in heaven, my picture and your picture and every Christian’s picture is in there…and every day He makes a trip around Paradise showing all the angels our smiling faces and bragging about the little things we did to please Him.

A relationship like this is like no other on the planet.  The God of the universe has declared you and me to be His very own children.  This is the foundation of courage and this is the reason we can believe our Dad and not only make it through each day, but also stand up for THE Cause of Christ. 

THE Cause of making disciples who make disciples is before you, so let the Father’s love and the power of His Spirit transform you with the words He spoke to the great General Joshua before he set out to conquer the evil of his day:

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

We were made to be courageous!

 

The film Courageous has been an incredible success and has received positive critical acclaim from audiences everywhere.  This week, invite a friend to see the movie, then go out afterwards and talk about the message of the movie.  Pray for an opportunity to share the gospel and introduce your friends to our loving Father who gives us courage each day.

Father, thank you for being the perfect Heavenly Father and making us to be courageous.  Give us the strength each day to face our daily challenges, and also to have the bravery to speak out and stand up as we further THE Cause for Your Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 16:13. Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

  Reach Out…Don’t Freak Out. For help developing a couragous mindset when it comes to sharing your faith with your friends who need Jesus, pick up a copy of this 30 devo book from Dare 2 Share.

*Source: The Wizard of Oz