Here in the U.S., today is Memorial Day. A day set aside to honor those in our military who died fighting for our country. Whatever one believes regarding the US involvement militarily around the world, one has to acknowledge that these soldiers are brave. In fact, our national anthem speaks of this country as being the “home of the brave”.
All of this emphasis has got me thinking about bravery. What does it mean to be brave? What does it mean for “me” to be brave? Well, to be honest, I have very little life experience to refer to because I have not been brave very often. I do have one or two experiences, but that’s not very much over 50+ years.
In one of my favorite old chick flick movies, You’ve Got Mail, Meg Ryan’s character says the following, “Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well valuable, but small. And sometimes I wonder do I do it because I like it, or because I haven’t been brave. So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn’t it be the other way around.”
Looking back in this somewhat pensive mood, I have to acknowledge in so many ways that my “small” life has also resulted from me not being brave. I have not been brave enough to risk rejection or ridicule, brave enough to embrace change or even to seek it, brave enough to try new things or even to meet new people.
Now, I find the confines of my “rut” are comfortable for me, and the courage, bravery that it would require for me to break out of it seems monumental. In fact, if there is any personal momentum in my life at the moment it would be in retreat. I am experiencing a tremendous desire to succumb to the solitude of my hilltop and to let the rest of the world “go to hades in a handbasket”.
Honestly, I don’t believe it is laziness. As the old, rather militantly metaphoric, hymn, Am I a Soldier of the Cross states,
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease?
Um no. I am opposed to anyone carrying my load for me. Thank you very much, but I think I can handle it myself.
It is more that I have never enjoyed the rush others seem to find in adventure and danger. Being brave doesn’t thrill me; it scares me to death, and I beg God not to make me do it again. Maybe I am short for a reason since I seem to have much in common with hobbits.
“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am
arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.’
I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for
adventures. Nasty, disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!” [1]
Yet, I am forced to acknowledge that even as Bilbo could not be left in his hole in the ground, I cannot be left hugging my hilltop. There doesn’t seem to be a retirement program in scripture, and the desert fathers are not accepting new members for life as a hermit. There is still much that God wants me to do, or He would already have taken me home. So I need to be brave…
Psalm 27 is David’s statement of courage in the face of his enemies.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
How could David say the following?
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
First he says his one desire was to dwell in the house of the Lord forever and gaze at His beauty and inquire in His temple. In other words, to live in a place of constant communion with God.
Second he determines to follow God’s command to seek Him.
8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
Thirdly, he recognizes his limitations and asks for instructions.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
Finally, he recognizes God’s timetable is best.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
For some of us, life doesn’t have to actually BE life-threatening for us to require courage to face it. Yes, I am weak…but HE is strong. I guess I have my marching orders, and I would pray along with the words of the old song,
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.
[1] Tolkien, J..R.R. The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin, 2002.