“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”- Theodore Roosevelt: (1858 – January 6, 1919: was an American statesman and writer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909.)

Scripture Text: (ACTS 9:26-31)

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

What keeps us from being courageous?  

The unknown.  Disappointment.  Fear of finding out what we don’t really want to know.  Failure.  

In today’s reading, Saul was tormenting and killing the first century Christians without remorse.  The disciples were ‘afraid of him.’  I would be, too.  After Saul’s conversion, and name change to Paul, Barnabus mustered up all his courage to assist and let the Lord do his best work. 

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Let us all ask the Lord for courage.