Reflecting on Courage

With the gifts of time and perspective, we know that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was courageous. At the time, he was extremely unpopular in the eyes of the American public at large. It took tremendous courage to be that unpopular, and to continue moving forward, doing what he could, where he was (which was sometimes jail), with the resources available to him.

He urged us to build “dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.” Being courageous is doing the right thing when that is hard.

But what is it that makes doing the right thing so hard?

If we just pursue God's word, things become very simple. When we pay attention to what society would have us do, or how society would have us think (rather than God), the right thing becomes difficult. When we fast from something that adversely affects our decisions, we disconnect ourselves from the power that creates weakness. Such powerful forces that create weakness may be TV shows, social media, and people that don’t share a belief in God. I'm not saying we should never watch TV again. Rather, if we are having trouble being courageous, it's time to fast from those things that are negatively affecting our thoughts. When you seek restoration by turning to God – rather than from "x, y, z" substitutes – comfort, pleasure, peace, love, etc. come to you. You then crave the Bible and your relationship with God.

Business Application

We can apply the same thing to business. What are we relying on that makes us feel better instead of acknowledging a symptom of sickness? Remember that being busy doesn't necessarily create abundance. Busyness is only useful when we are busy on the right things. Where could the business fast to create space for something more productive?

Written By Schuyler Williamson