heroic courage

Courage.  That's a word we hear often, and yet, I rarely give it much thought.  So, I stumbled across these words last night and they have been bouncing around in my head ever since.  

C.S. Lewis understood the importance of imagination and the power of a story and used them to share the gospel.  Interestingly enough, Jesus loved stories too - why else would Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John be bursting at the seam with parables?

Here is the other thing about courage - it doesn't have to be big.  Courage can be small acts. And sometimes, small acts have a resounding impact.

A middle schooler blessing their lunch in the cafeteria.  A shy student raising their hand in class.  A quiet co-worker speaking up in a staff meeting. A dad coaching their child's soccer team, even if all he ever played was baseball and football.  A poor college kid paying for the person's coffee in the car behind them.  A mom putting aside all she has to do to watch her daughter dance in the living room for the hundredth time.  A football coach going for it on 4th and 1.

Courage doesn't always take words. Courage can be quiet. I am eternally grateful to my parents - because they read me fairy tales and told me stories of real life heroes.  And although I may not be the bravest of knights, when I have faced those "cruel enemies," I've wanted to be the strong and courageous - the way they told me I could be.