Photo Credit: Tim Gouw
On Monday, 7th May, as I researched our theme for the month, I came across a powerful teaching, which I promised to share with you. We will be learning about the application of a major ingredient recurring in our text — Joshua 1 — and that ingredient is courage. To take risk you will require courage and not just that, you will need to be “very courageous.” And what’s more, it is a command from God. Our God instructs us to be Bold and very Courageous! Be ye transformed as you read. Amen.
"Virtue at the testing point"
The following is a modified transcript of the audio teaching by Dr. Ken Boa from the leadership series on the subject of courage and risk taking.
Today we’re going to be looking at the important leadership principle of courage and risk taking and God’s perspective on what it means to be a man who takes risk, who lives with courage in this world, a world of ambiguity and uncertainty.
We’re called to live our lives in a way that manifests real courage. C.S. Lewis wrote, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” That means at the point of highest reality a chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful until it became risky. The fact is courage is a powerful quality that animates all the other virtues in your life because to have the courage of your convictions and to follow through requires then a measure of risk in this world, particularly if your convictions are based upon revelation. Particularly also if they’re based upon a transcendent reference because then it’s going to invite us to pursue and treasure the invisible and the not yet more than the visible and the now. That is a tremendous risk for man to take because to obey God means that we treasure the unseen. The things that are seen are temporary. The things that are unseen will endure forever.
I want us to turn first to a central passage in scripture for courage and risk taking. In Joshua 1, God encourages Joshua before the conquest of the Promised Land and He repeatedly gives him this word of comfort and encouragement to be strong and courageous. This has to do with the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua.
Joshua 1: 5-9, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
I want you to notice some things that God gives him here on this verge. They’re on the verge of conquering fortified cities and armies. These are people who were not really well equipped. They were a people who were nomadic shepherds and for them to go against this kind of opposition would require an enormous amount of courage.
— Dr. Ken Boa, from the leadership series on Courage and Risk Taking.
My Commentary:
It is beginning to occur to me that courage and risk taking are like tango. When you think of courage and risk taking, think of it as dancing the the tango. Like they say, "It takes two to tango!" No courage, no risk. You want some courage, then be ready to take some risks. The one cannot exist without the other. Some persons are known for taking risks and as a result they have developed tough courage muscles. Whilst others will need to start taking risks in order to awaken their courage consciousness. And everyday, everyone of us has an opportunity to test that courage within them. Be it applying faith, patience, kindness, gentleness or self-control. Courage is what you need when any of these virtues are put to the test. Like C.S. Lewis & Ken Boa tell us, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” That means at the point of highest reality a chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Think about that a little. What character element in your life is placing a demand on you to be courageous? If you are ever going to overcome, you will have to take a chance, for it would require a little risk to pass the test. May God help us.
Joshua 1:7 Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
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