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.
