courage

Not unlike most young boys I grew up idolizing heroes, namely super heroes. I grew up on a street that did not have many boys my age to play with and with a older brother in high school I was forced to make a decision; either humble myself and ask my sister who was close to my age to let me play with her and her friends or choose another hobby. I think it is obvious which I chose. I began reading comic books; all kinds, any thing I could get my hands on. From the greats like Spider-man or Batman, to the not so greats like Antman. So thus began my obsession with the super hero. I like the stories of these heroes because no matter how many bad buys or super villains they face and no matter of much power the villains had, the hero always made the right choice. Batman could not be swayed by Joker no matter how long he choice to monologue. In these stories and now in these movies it seems that the lines of right and wrong, justice and injustice where as clear as the wrinkles in my grand mothers face. I don’t remember at any time wondering if I would join the Joker’s plan to brain wash congress or stop him if I were batman. These heroes had unshakable courage in deciding what was right or wrong. In their eyes there was no gray, only black, white and maybe some blue and yellow for the costumes.
This has always frustrated me because it seems like that the line is never as visible as it was in the stories. That the courage it took to web-sling into a burning building is not the same courage that I will need to walk out my faith. I don’t think I will every be tempted with brain washing one or more members of congress. As black and white as theses stories can be it seems that my life is that gray. So where does courage fit in to my life? In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses narrates at the end of his life as he passes on to Joshua the duty of leading the people of Israel. He tells Joshua to be strong and of good courage, that the people will need him to be brave. It was in reading this that I understood that courage is not as irrelevant as I thought it was in the culture I live in, I thought that courage was only something told in stories. But as I read the scriptures I realize that courage is a very important part of my faith. I have begun to understand that courage is not the absence of fear but the heart to run toward those fears. Fear is a funny thing. It seems to never take a back seat or choose to sit quietly. It always has to be the center of attention. It must be heard and never ignored. You see the thing is, with fear it will either define you of drive you. You will be remembered as someone who never took the risk or that lived life by risk. No one wants to be the kid who climbed the diving board but was too scared to make the plunge; what most of us become is either the one chanting him on or booing him off. Fear will always be a nagging voice in your head, but its courage or lack there of that defines you. You either run from fear and in so doing give in to it or we run too it, throwing the “what if” factor in to the pool and embracing the “why not” factor. It takes courage to stand for injustice; it takes courage to speak out for morality and it takes courage to take the unpopular route and love like Christ. Like our heroes we too can make a difference in this world of beauty and darkness, if we only have the courage to do it. So whether when you get up you dress with a cap and knee high boots or just jeans and sneakers. What define you are not your fears, but your courage to fight those fears.