Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. ~C.S. Lewis
After seeing the movie Courageous, I was reminded of a Beth Moore study I did several years ago over the book of Daniel. She states, "We will live lives of integrity on purpose or we will not do it at all. Godliness is never accidental. Neither is victory coincidental. Both stem from up-front, daily resolve."
It's not always easy to do the right thing especially if you're in the minority, but those of us who have children understand that if we want to raise Godly children, it is imperative that they see us having the courage to live lives of integrity. That is what I appreciated about the movie Courageous. It showed men making a decision to do the right thing. It doesn't mean that they will never make any mistakes. It just means that they resolve to do the right thing, and if a mistake is made, they give themselves grace and resolve to get back up on their feet and do the right thing again.
Most of us won't even go to the grocery store without a plan for how we will spend our money while we're there, but we will go through life without any kind of plan for our children. We just kind of expect things to fall into place. We expect our children to just realize right from wrong without really giving any thought to whether or not we are living that example for them. Some of us, on the other hand, practice Godly living, but we don't take the time to explain those choices to our kids. We expect them to absorb those things by osmosis, or when they ask a question about something, we give them a 'how dare you even think the thought', pious answer. Then, there are others who are just careless. They don't give any thought to the way they live, and they don't really care how their kids turn out. What is always amazing to me, though, are the people who don't live it, but expect their kids to live it. They treat life like a big party, but then they act surprised when they find out their children are involved in things they shouldn't be.
While Beth Moore is absolutely correct when she says that we must resolve to live a life of integrity, we must also resolve to do 'hard' things. Being a Godly example is hard. Being involved in every aspect of your child's life is hard. Knowing where they are and who they are with is hard. Making the choice not to go out and party is hard. Making the choice to get involved with a church that will encourage your children is hard.
There have been times in my life when I could have chosen not to do the hard things that life has called me to do. I could have walked out on my marriage when things got tough. That certainly would have been the easier choice. I could have opted to take my life when I thought I couldn't bear any more pain. I could have chosen a different circle of friends - ones who would rubber stamp anything I wanted to do. I could have turned my back on church because I didn't like the way my life was going. It would have been a lot easier to blame God and everyone else rather than take a good hard look at myself.
And then...I see their faces, and I hear their sweet voices.
The 'hard' just got easier!
Have the courage to step up and be the example your children need for you to be. Do the 'hard' things that life calls you to do. Be the change you want for this world. I don't dare sit here and type this thinking that I have always made the right choices, and that I have always done the right thing. Believe me I have made many mistakes in my life. The difference now is that I have learned the power of grace. I am now able to give myself grace when I fail to be that example. I am also able to give others the grace they deserve when they fail too. My children see that grace given to both myself and to others and that makes all the difference!
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
Blessings,
Penny
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