Courage The Cowardly Hero

What is courage?  We grow up learning and teaching what courage is.  In many ways we see courage as merely black and white; you either are or you are not.  We teach our children to have courage when facing the dark of their room.  We grow learning the epitome of courage.  What do you think of when you hear or read the word courage?  Is there someone who jumps to mind and do your consider yourself courageous?

Many of us see particular individuals as courageous and yet somehow we do not view ourselves in that same light; a soldier, police officer, fireman, etc.  I see that these people are courageous, but they are also doing a job.  Do you think of a mother as courageous? How about a teacher? Or even perhaps a child?

Courage by definition is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.  So how is it that we tend to paint personifications upon certain individuals who have “courage?”  Are we not all completely capable of being courageous? Of course we are.  In fact, I would be willing to bet that fear is taught more than courage.  Children do not know not to touch the hot burner on the stove unless we tell them to fear it.

Courage is subjective.  We see someone as brave when they react in a manner for which we ourselves see as such.  My definition is based on my life experience, what I have been taught, and what I have witnessed and been told is brave.  What I see is not what you see.  Courage is merely a subjective emotion that by definition changes as we grow and mature.

Courage is objective.  When we are at that lowest low, courage becomes an objective.  We do not cry when someone hurts our feelings, we do not strike back when hit, and we do not defend our honor at all cost because we are being brave, strong, and courageous.  Oddly enough, all of these things have somehow been taught to us as signs of weakness. 

We are hypocritical as a society to expect people to fight/stand for something they believe in and at the same time, see them as strong when they are silent and do nothing.  How can someone be a strong silent person?  We are wise enough to know that sometimes silence is more powerful than defending in words or otherwise; and yet, we manage to look down on those who just “take it” as weak.

I see courage as something you posses because you know that God is with you.  When facing the darkest places in life, the lowest low, the tunnel without a light, etc. we find out how courageous we are capable of being.  We will generally surprise ourselves at how capable we are of being courageous, brave, gutsy, tough, dauntless, heroic, nervy, etc.  We have to understand that silence is golden and you can be strong without the societal views of strength, honor, and bravery.  The honor we posses is the honor God gives to us.  There is a time for war, but it should be a war of love.  How do we do this? We must submit to God’s will and understand that He will give us all the courage we need to be the cowardly heroes that the world needs.