Brave and kind

It was 2019 and I had been sensing very profoundly that, if I got the role, I was going to need to be extremely brave to handle the season that lay ahead and to stand firm on God’s word in the face of so much opposition. This was not to be foolhardy bravery in isolation, it had to be coupled with the kindness that can only come from the love of God and the consequential love of His people that flows from this. I wondered at the time quite why bravery and kindness would be so important for the season ahead and now a couple of years on it’s utterly clear that they were both vital for navigating the Evangelical Alliance throughout this pandemic.

Bravery seems an even more timely subject than ever as we consider the devastating scenes in Ukraine following the invasion. In the face of such cruelty and challenge, we have also witnessed the remarkable bravery, resilience and strength of many.

The book of Esther has spoken to me many times about bravery. Here we find an incredible woman who risked her life for her people. A heroine who was prepared to stand no matter what the cost. Approaching the king to ask him to save the Jewish people was like asking to be hung on the gallows (Esther 7:1 – 4). And yet the Lord steps in to save, redeem and transform. It’s so comforting to know that as we make the move to be brave, He joins us as we advance. He removes our enemies before us (Esther 7:9 – 10) and throws them into confusion (Judges 7:19 – 22). If the Lord is calling us to be brave, He will make a way. Esther was not born brave but she had an opportunity to be brave and took it. We too are empowered to be brave if we are willing to take a stand and make the most of the possibilities in front of us.

Sponsored

Brave steps can lead to mighty breakthroughs. I clearly remember a line from the actor Matt Damon in a film a few years ago: ​“All it takes to change the world is 10 seconds of outrageous bravery.” These moments of bravery are like Stephen standing up and declaring the full counsel of God to his listeners even though it costs him his life (Acts 7). Often acts of bravery only take a few moments and we have to lay aside our concern over what people might say or do as a result, knowing that it’s to make Jesus known and see His kingdom come.

We have opportunities right in front of us. We are in a time of rampant secularism, living in the midst of compromise, in danger of allowing culture to form our view of faith. I sometimes think about my children’s children, and what they will face in their lifetime. I am aware that how we respond in our day profoundly impacts the world that they will inhabit. The church needs to be bold in our moment and stand firmly on His word.

Let’s be those who model lives of bravery to our children so the mantle is passed to enable them to stand on ground that has been taken for the gospel. If we display bravery now, they will catch it and know they too can stand in front of their own Goliaths and defeat them no matter how small they may feel. What is your Esther moment? How could you be brave to see salvation and transformation come? Let’s do our best to be brave… and kind.

This is a free access article from Called to be brave, the April-June 2022 edition of our membership magazine, idea.