A Teen For God 12 Courage

Courage is doing what you are afraid to do; there can be no courage unless you are scared

-Eddie Rickenbacker.

It was the courage in Nelson Mandela that caused him to fight for so long so that his people 'blacks' be set free from bondage and leave like free men. With the courage and strong will in him, he saw to it that he fought rigorously even if it meant death, for the apartheid to be over. He was jailed for twenty-five years but still didn't give up his goal, he had the courage to stand up bold and strong to oppose what he felt was wrong… All these sure did pay off; his courage was victorious alas.

In a certain kingdom where the king saw only people he summoned, his queen decided to pick courage to go see him without been summoned. She found favour in the king's eyes; the courageous step queen Esther took the day she did led the Jews to their freedom. (Esther 5)

When king Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue of worship, it was G.o.d-inspired courage that caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to do otherwise and serve their one, true living G.o.d. They were prepared to die for their cause knowing that dying for such would rather be a gain. (Daniel 3)
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Most a times, courage is accompanied with faith and hope as seen in the ill.u.s.trations above. Having positive courage to do something is basically G.o.d-initiated; He puts that fearlessness in you, that zeal to do what you or people have been afraid to do. Most courageous people are potential leaders.

THE COURAGE TO BE DIFFERENT

To be different is to be distinct, not having the same qualities as others, separating one's self from others in terms of att.i.tude and character.

In the suburb of Ketu was a young sixteen year old girl named Ladi. I would not portray her to be a saint; neither was she a wild, wayward girl. She tried her best to do good, be good and do the right thing. She was in the final year of high school and the final examinations were approaching. The best three were usually given scholarships to universities. Ladi wasn't really strong/excellent at academic work, that didn't stop her from working hard and striving for greatness. She knew two things: 1.) Failing humbly and honestly was far better than cheating her way through. 2.) She needed a scholarship to alleviate the burden upon her financially unstable background.

The examinations had finally come and everyone in her set was up and about it. So much excitement and anxiety in the air. Her cla.s.smates here and there doing all they could do best to pa.s.s: buying exam question papers before the day of exam, using textbooks during the exams, even buying charms… and all what not. The temptation was really high for Ladi; everywhere smelt exam malpractice and what more, she wasn't that strong in academics. But Ladi loved G.o.d and knew that this was out rightly wrong and displeasing in His sight. Each day she went to bed praying for strength to carry on without falling victim to this social vice and the ability to be among the top three.

Finally, the exams came to an end; results were to be published three weeks later. When the results came, Ladi saw hers and was satisfied with what she saw; it was a performance of hers she had never seen before. When she checked her position, she was ninth place. She went home happy. A month later she was told she had been offered a scholarship as the people between the second and ninth person had been rusticated for exam malpractice, leaving her in third position…Ladi had the courage to be different, it paid off in the end.

In today's teenage world, no one wants to be left out. Everyone wants to belong to the happening crew. Everyone wants to be hot, known, seen as not two-thousand-and-late yet being quite unconscious of their fate).

Well, nice. Problem is that, although majority takes the vote (in elections and many human circ.u.mstances!), they don't always tell what's right.

That everybody does it does not make it right. You alone have to implement the decision of how you want to live your life. If you decide to keep on following the crowd, trust me, your life would surely be a total wreck. When you follow the crowd, your goals and ambitions gradually diffuse because you are trying to absorb the goals of the crowd. (Don't forget the crowd changes and so does their needs, wants and goals).

As T-4-G, you have got to set your goals and objectives with your priorities and leave according to G.o.d's direction not human opinions. However, having the courage to be different is not as simple as it sounds. It entails great strength and leading from G.o.d not to obey the band-wagon syndrome (Daniel 6)

If we all decide to have the courage to be different, we will realize that gradually, we will have those following us do the right thing-our own crowd. How great that would be, even G.o.d would smile at the earth.

Go MAD: not bunkers, Making A Difference, remember? Now pals, go MAD for G.o.d. Don't go where the part may lead, instead go where there is no path and leave your trail.

Try to be like Daniel and be the YOU of your generation!