Courage is a virtue - but some of us are wary of being exhorted to adopt it. If a person or group with power over us pressurises us to ‘be brave’ it can suggest to us that we need to do or be more than we are; or should adopt agenda we do not instinctively share. Today’s reflection invites us to spend some time with scripture and with ourselves, to discern where good or godly courage fits into our lives.
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The Lectionary is a set of recommended readings from the bible for each day of the year. It is used by Christians to inspire church services, sermons or to structure personal times of prayer and reflection.
There is always a clear connection - or theme - across the three or four passages chosen for any given day, even if the events they recount are separated by hundreds of years. In today’s readings, that theme might be called Courage.
In a story from the Acts of the Apostles, the formidable Paul is travelling the known world, proclaiming news about Jesus. Many people convert to Christianity. His life is often at risk and in today’s passage he is almost killed - but he does not give up. He is courageous.
The 145th Sacred Song, or Psalm, is full of joy and praise, declaring that faithful people can and will speak out across the world, in confidence, about the glory of God. This takes courage.
In Chapter 14 of the Gospel according to John, Jesus is about to leave his disciples and return to heaven. He asks them to be peaceful and not to fear what the future holds. He invites them to be courageous.
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If you can and would like to, spend some time reading these passages aloud to see what feelings each generates in you. Are they en-courage-ing to you?
Paul’s life, as an example to follow, is scary! And his words and story have been used to pressurise Christian people into talking to others a lot about their faith, as if they might replicate Paul’s ‘success’. This can lead to inauthentic behaviour and relationships.
The contemporary writer, researcher and speaker Brene Brown can help us to reframe the notion of courage in a way that might help us see Paul differently. Brene is an advocate of courage - and she connects it with vulnerability and authenticity, not power or force. She tracks the meaning of the word Courage back to ‘telling the story of who you are with your whole heart’.
“The key to whole-hearted living is vulnerability. You measure courage by how vulnerable you are”
What happens if you approach Paul as someone who told the story of who he was with his whole heart? As someone vulnerable? Someone who faced attack and got hurt. Someone who needed time out to rest (see verse 28) with his friends. Someone driven, at least in part, by an awareness of error and inadequacy, as well as by very strong feelings? Someone who feels free to share of himself, warts and all?
What happens if we see Psalm 145 as the expression of genuine emotion: joy, love and excitement about the good that comes from faith? How easy do you find it to express feelings of exhilaration in prayer and public worship? How does it compare to the ease with which you express other feelings?
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When we read the late parts of Jesus’ story, can we imagine ourselves in his company as he prepares to leave? Listen to what he says:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid”
Jesus does not co-erce. He does not persuade. He invites (and often the ‘goal’ of the invitation is unclear!) He always leaves space for someone to say ‘no’. He does not need us to be different but seeks to calm our fears, while inviting us to life-giving courage. His own vocation, which featured suffering, was not driven by the will to power but by love; by vulnerability. He shared his whole story and his whole self with others.
Spend some time with the emotions this brings up for you.
What are you invited to be courageous and vulnerable about today?
There are lots of Brene Brown books and videos available. You may enjoy this TED talk.