Four Tests of True Courage

Some of the media stories in recent times cause me to wonder if this generation has lost a sense of what constitutes real courage. There seems to be an inclination today to apply the term ‘courage’ to those who do something knowing they will get overwhelming public support and applause (especially if you’re one of the first to do it). On the other hand, someone who takes a stand on something they believe to be right, regardless of public sentiment, they are called a bigot or worse.

That was the situation with the NBA player Jason Collins’ announcement last month that he is gay. He was applauded as “brave” and “courageous,” even “a pioneer” because of his announcement. But I have to ask, how much courage is involved in making an announcement you know is going to receive resounding support in the media and most certainly among your NBA teammates?

In a recent Breakpoint article by John Stonestreet, There’s Courage, Then There’s Courage, John suggests that ESPN analyst, Chris Broussard, displayed more courage than Collins when he was asked to comment on Jason’s announcement that he was not only gay, “but a Christian who focused on the tolerant words of Jesus.” I urge you to read John’s article about Broussard’s gracious response and the hatred spewed upon him because of it. It begs the question, What is courage? Perhaps a better question might be: When did courage get redefined?

When I think of courage, someone like Sgt. Dakota Meyer comes to mind. In a gun battle in Afghanistan in 2009, Sgt. Meyer made five trips over a six-hour period directly into the teeth of enemy gunfire to rescue thirty of his wounded and fallen comrades. When asked about the risk he took, he told a reporter, “I didn’t think I was going to die; I knew I was”. And yet, he did it anyway. I think we would all agree this was an example of extraordinary courage that makes many of the media uses of the term seem out of place.

Courage should never be used to describe actions or comments that are easy to make with no risk involved. It takes courage to face insurmountable odds or stand for truth in the face of intense opposition. Sometime, it takes courage just to be willing to engage in honest dialogue about some of these issues when it’s not popular to do so.

Most of us may not find ourselves thrust into extraordinary situations like Sgt. Meyer, but it is not so unlikely to encounter situations like Chris Broussard endured. So, what does it mean to live courageously in those day-to-day situations any one of us may face?

I have observed at least four characteristics of true courage that serve as an effective way of understanding and evaluating genuine courage. Tell me if you agree. Here’s what I ‘ve observed. People of true courage at any age…

1)    Hold an unshakable belief in what is true and right. This unshakable belief is not rooted in what feels good at the moment, or what is popular at the time, but in what they clearly know in their being to be right and true.

2)    Act on what they know to be true. Courageous people set aside self-interest in favor of a greater good.

3)    Do not let risk, however great, deter them from their course. Courageous people possess a relentless resolve to do what is right regardless of the cost to them.

4)    Display a spirit of graciousness and humility. Courageous people do not seek public adulation or assume an air of superiority for their actions.

Let’s talk…what are some examples of true courage you’ve seen? Why do we tend to ascribe courage to things that actually require very little courage? What is the role of courage in a Christian’s response to current worldviews on morality and truth in our culture?