As I reflect on what I consider the attribute of being brave, my thoughts immediately shift to my nearly five years of military service during the Vietnam War.
When I accepted my lieutenancy upon graduation from college in 1965, I knew I was destined to a tour of duty in that conflict.
Back then, some considered me brave while others considered me foolish for joining the U.S. Army.
As an artillery officer, I anticipated being initially assigned as a forward observer and the probability of returning in a body bag was fairly high.
The word brave is seldom used in Scripture, but it is perhaps best inferred in 2 Timothy 1:7, in which the Apostle Paul instructs his young protégé with these words: “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of love, power and self-discipline.”
In other words, we should not fear what lies ahead. The key word in Paul’s advice is Spirit. We need not fear the unknown, since the Holy Spirit will be with us through whatever we may face.
There was a time when God intervened in the lives of His people following the death of Joshua, Caleb and their generation. The study of this particular time period (approximately 400 years) in history repeats itself over and over and again and again.
God called judges from different tribes to bring the people through the cycle of rebellion, retribution, repentance and restoration to their God. These appointed judges were brave in their own way and used by God to bring His people back from the throes of idolatry.
The lives of these judges overlapped. Some are well known while others obscure, but they were all used by God to oversee His people in mighty feats of bravery.
Yes, one was a woman, a prophetess named Deborah who demonstrated more bravery than her general (Barak).
The whole fifth chapter of the Book of Judges presents a song dedicated to these two. Let me include the final verse (Judges 5:31) for your pleasure: “‘So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But may they who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.’ Then the land had peace for forty years.”
Bravery can be found in many stories of common men, women, boys and girls who have suffered through the ordeals of life. Our brave actions crop up as we experience whatever life may hold.
What I’ve found in my personal life and the lives of many I’ve come to know is this: the Holy Spirit is always there to endure with their souls during the most difficult trials they face.
Perhaps the greatest example of bravery can be found in the life of the Apostle Paul. He lived for Christ and considered it gain to be with Christ Jesus, yet he understood that his work here on earth was not quite finished.
Assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk carried that attitude with him every day of his very short time on this planet.
There are times I sense my time is short, but then I realize that simply means that I must accept the urgency of what God still has planned for those special moments as seen through His eyes.
If you truly want to serve Him, just sit back, see Him work around you and bravely serve Him in the fields that are certainly ripe for harvest.