Have you seen it?

This past weekend I had a chance to see Courage up close and personal. It looked differently than I had expected but was far more inspirational than I could have ever imagined. I didn’t recognize it from its stories of valor or its appearances on film – I’ve never seen this Courage on a Red Box nor on a Wheaties box. In fact, it carried no celebrity status or credentials at all. Courage was humble, quiet, and fleshed out in a refreshing variety of ways.

At our middle school guys’ retreat, I watched Courage express itself through fathers, sons, step-dads, cousins, uncles, mentors, and small group leaders. I saw men make themselves vulnerable to each other. Guys revealed their hearts to youth, pleading for them to pursue a life of purpose, integrity, and honor. Courage was transparent.

Courage embraced the awkward conversations of sexuality, purity, and temptation. Courage asked questions. It was contemplative and took a deep look inwardly. Courage shared its fears and struggles. Courage was honest and open.

It was present in the absence of a father. It was available…Courage found itself persevering and trusting God to be a better steward of this son. It believed that God could and would restore and redeem the years that were lost. Courage was faithful.

It intentionally seized opportunities to be present. It built campfires. It played catch, it went hiking and canoeing, it learned the rules to Capture the Flag, and it even tried skateboarding. Courage was aware. Courage had fun.

Being in close proximity to Courage this weekend, I never once saw it take the game winning shot. It didn’t save the day. Rather, Courage was just there…hopeful, boosting, involved, and meeting the call of Christ. Mainstream media doesn’t often celebrate this kind of Courage because true Courage doesn’t sell a lot of books nor does it have a large fan club following…but it does draw applause from heaven - it entertains angels. This type of Courage looks an awful lot like the greatest hero of all time, Jesus.

I love our superstar athletes and the movies where good prevails. They’re motivating and enjoyable. However, the kind of Courage I seek is found in the simple and humble that I met last weekend because that kind makes an eternal difference. Essentially Courage is faith lived out. It’s very fluid and it moves the spirit of those who witness it! And you know what’s really cool??? Through the grace of God, it is something we too can possess. Let me close with this verse…

“Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in the abundance of counselors there is victory.” Proverbs 11:14

May we be courageous enough to be there for our families, our neighbors, our spouse, our children, and our students…so they too might find victory that’s truly worth celebrating.

Thanks again to all of our volunteers, staff, and families that invested precious time and energy to make our recent Wired retreat so very special… #FaithMap