Courage

I recently watched the movie ‘The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind’. For those who are not familiar with the movie, it is the story of a young boy growing up in drought stricken Malawi, whose farming family is in danger of losing everything. Persistent drought, political corruption, robbers and violent riots are all barriers that stand in the way of the family staying alive. William, the main character, has a dream of saving his village from the drought by building a windmill that will provide a constant supply of life giving water. However, he faces great adversity in making his dream come true; his challenges include being refused schooling, a lack of resources, a father who sees his dream as silly and villagers abandoning the village at an alarming rate.

‘Courage is the strength of heart that enables people to stand up for their convictions to do the right thing, even when it is hard or fearful. It involves being firm of spirit despite the ups and downs of life and it means ‘having a go’ even when success is uncertain.’

William displayed incredible courage in order to fulfil his dream. He was fearless in his perseverance to build the windmill. Nothing stood in the way of his conviction to save his village from total destruction.

If only we, as Christians, displayed the same courage as William did in the face of adversity! If only we could remain steadfast in our faith at all times, yet we fail so often. The good news is that we do not face our adversaries alone. Christian courage is recognising and accepting the strength that we receive through the Holy Spirit. We have the strength of heart and firmness of spirit to stand up for what is right and ‘have a go’ despite difficulties, uncertainty and setbacks.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)