Why Courage Still Matters

The iconic image of former President Donald Trump fist pumping the crowd and declaring, “Fight, fight, fight”—just moments after he was shot in the ear by a would-be assassin—is one I’ll not soon forget.

Photo: Shutterstock

Paul Harvey once quipped, “In times like these, it’s good to remember that there have always been times like these.”

Throughout the history of the world, as evil has reared its ugly little head time and again, it’s good to remember that there have always been those who stood and fought with courage.

Consider the following from our more recent past:

• Ronald Reagan, standing near the Berlin Wall, courageously called upon Secretary Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union to “tear down this wall.”

• JFK, giving his inaugural presidential address, courageously called upon his fellow Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you.”

• Winston Churchill, in one of his most famous speeches during World War II, challenged students to “never give in.”
  

Or consider from our more distant past:

• Abraham Lincoln, whose “four score and seven years ago” speech at Gettysburg, inspired a nation for generations.
  

• Patrick Henry, speaking to the Second Virginia Convention one year prior to the Americans’ Declaration of Independence, announced, “Give me liberty or give me death.”
  

And of course there are many others:

• George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson all helped start and strengthen a nation.

• William Wilberforce helped bring an end to the slave trade in Great Britain.

• And both of these things—against all odds.

And this has always been the case, in every age, that people have risen to the occasion.

The Bible itself is cram-packed with stories of strength and courage:

• Abraham rescues his relative Lot (Genesis 14).

• Moses delivers the Israelites out of Egypt.

• Joshua leads God’s people into the Promised Land.

• David defeats the giant (1 Samuel 17).

• Elijah defies the priests of Baal.

• Daniel prays despite the king’s dangerous decree (Daniel 6).

• Esther stands up for her people.

• Peter and John face down all sorts of threats (Acts 4-5).

• Paul keeps on preaching in spite of many perils.

And let’s not forget that an entire chapter of the Bible—Hebrews 11—is appropriately dubbed the “Faith Chapter” or the “Hall of Faith.”

Faith sees what our physical eyes cannot—and takes definitive, deliberate action accordingly.

And it’s no wonder that Christians, time and again, rise to the occasion with strength and courage.

After all, our Lord and Master—Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith—endured the lonely cross with great gospel joy. Nothing could stop him—and nothing can stop us—from fulfilling God’s mighty purposes.

Indeed, we shall “fight, fight, fight” the good fight of faith, no matter the cost of courage.