Courage is the Virtue of Virtues

In one of my favorite movies, The Last Samurai, the character Nathan Aldren is a drunken retired American soldier in the late 1800’s. A former commander hires him to travel to Japan and train a modern-day army to fight the rebel samurai. I won't spoil it for you, but let's say the "good guys" show a lot of courage as they fight the enemy. Now, go watch it.

Courage can be defined as the virtue of acting in accordance with what is ultimately right and just, no matter the cost. Courage overcomes feelings. It doesn't deny fear, but recognizes it, and acts anyway.

C.S. Lewis stated that “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” In other words, courage is the metric, or plumb-line, that virtues like patience, temperance, charity, etc., get measured against—I agree. Another way to understand courage is that it’s the virtue that drives the others: We need courage to have patience, courage to have temperance, courage to do what is right, and courage to live in a way that honors God.

Courage is often contrary to the path of least resistance—it swims upstream and forces its way forward in the face of difficult circumstances. Courage is about doing good for others. A man acting courageously forgets himself and acts in the most loving way toward others, even when it means suffering pain himself.

Courage is moxy; it's the stuff tough men and women are made of.

Courage is for Everyday Use

In daily life, no matter our circumstances, we have the opportunity to display courage. This is because it takes courage to stop smoking, to end a relationship, to start a relationship, to love, to raise kids, to change your career, to keep your word, to work on a character flaw, to say no, to say yes, to stay true to yourself when fleeting desires constantly pull at our souls.

I relied on courage when I confronted my stuttering in college and spoke in front of a thousand people. I needed courage to confront my boss and tell him I didn't want to hear him gossip about the other employees. When have you had to show courage to do what is right? Write it down as a testimony to the Lord, and remember it the next time you are afraid to act.

Endless Courage in Christ

I am thankful that courage is not a limited resource—it is renewable and can grow like a financial investment. The more you act in courage, the more it grows. In Christ, we have all of His grace and courage to act. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deut. 31:6).

We needn’t wait for others to encourage us, because God is the ultimate Courage-Giver.

Following Christ takes courage. It is easy in the United States most of the time to say you profess Christ, but what about others in other countries like Nigeria who regularly face martyrdom? To them God says, Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).

But courage is for everyone. Hardly a day goes by that you won't need it. You'll need it to say "No" to an injustice you see at work. You'll need it to give to the church when money is tight. You'll need it to have that awkward conversation to clear the air after a conflict.

Encourage One Another

We can do this by “encouraging” each other. To encourage simply means to give courage. Encouragement is a beautifully wrapped gift of an “I’m here for you,” or “let me help you,” or “let me listen” that we offer to each other in hard times, and even in easy times—there’s no wrong time to encourage! As each of us has different gifts, courage will vary based on the individual’s needs at any given time, so it is up to the receiver to decide what is, in fact, encouraging.

Let’s make a habit of not holding back love, but of “Encouraging each other daily” (Hebrews 13.3).

Do we have the courage to do what is right for others and ourselves even when we might be embarrassed, ridiculed, or persecuted? Do we have the courage to do that which God has called, even when other, more titillating opportunities arise? Do we have the courage to be vulnerable, look at ourselves, and change? Do we have the courage to have the faith that we can trust God, even when circumstances look bleak?

Faith and courage are bound together like marriage partners. Some have said that faith is the “currency of heaven”, but I also believe that faith needs to be in an intimate, reciprocal relationship with courage. Faith says, "I believe," and courage adds, "so I will do..." Faith is believing who God says He is and what He will do, while courage is the faith in action.

Like the main character in The Last Samurai, hearing stories of courageous people in dire circumstances reminds us that pain, persecution, and death are not ultimately what we should fear. In everyday life, courage is needed just as much. Find it in Christ and use it in whatever tough circumstances you're facing today.

A life well-lived is fueled by faith, humility, and courage. I hope you are encouraged that courage can be received, grown, and gifted.