The Cowardly Lion lacked it. Joan of Arc had it in spades. But what do we mean by courage? How does the virtue transform a person? To
a superhero, exhibiting courage involves choosing determination over
fear; fighting evil villains with confidence under difficult and
perilous circumstances requires it.
But Keith’s sermon this morning made me think about courage in a new light. He said that courage means not hiding the truth. Not that courage simply denotes honesty but that it implies openness, a willingness to experience vulnerability. A friend once asked me whether I was disappointed when I first found out Eliot was a boy and I said yes. I exhibited honesty. This
friend then told me that he would feel scared to have a son because he
had a poor relationship with his own father and didn’t want old patterns
to repeat. He exhibited courage. He
did not have to divulge such private thoughts; he could have said
nothing or changed the subject while still preserving his own honesty. Instead, he chose to reveal part of himself, to face the truth with humility.
Courage allows us to reach out, to receive life’s invitations be they scary or uncomfortable. It embraces us, shows us new possibilities and fights the desire to give up. Honesty makes us admit the truth; courage gives us the strength to accept the truth.
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