Faithful Courage

                When people think of personality traits they hope to have, courage is probably high on the list.  Courage is a very interesting subject.  I’ve seen it defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear.  Another definition I’ve seen states courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation.  A third states courage is the ability to concur fear in order to do what is right.  When members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints think of courage, they often have impressions of standing up for their faith in the face of adversity and persecution or courageously sharing their faith with those around them. 
                All of these definitions correctly define some form of courage that means something to various people throughout the world.  Today, however, I want to discuss a form of courage that often seems neglected in thoughts of courage.  It’s a form of courage that takes a great deal of faith.  I’ll introduce it through the story of Jonah.
              Jonah was called of God to go to Nineveh, a massive ancient city full of wickedness, to preach repentance unto the people.  Unfortunately, Jonah was a pretty critical person and didn’t believe the people of Nineveh deserved to hear the beautiful messages of repentance.  So he determined he wouldn’t go.  Instead he climbed in a ship headed to Tarshish, which rested in the opposite direction.
                As the ship sailed over the sea, the Lord called forth a mighty tempest.  The other passengers on the ship were afraid they would be sunk due to the severity of the storm.  Jonah knew the Lord had sent forth this storm as a result of his unrighteous choice.  So, practicing the often forgotten form of courage I wish to speak of, Jonah confessed to the others that he was to blame.  He instructed them to cast him into the sea so they may be saved.  He courageously accepted the consequences of his poor choice.
                Those who know the account know Jonah was swallowed by a whale, where he was left for three days and three nights to ponder upon his poor decision.  At the end of this time, the fish vomited Jonah up, and Jonah went to Nineveh to preach repentance.  The inhabitants of the city believed Jonah and repented. 
                Another great account of this form of courage rests with my older brother.  A few years ago, my older brother made a poor decision that got him in trouble with the law.  He was arrested and taken to jail.  As he prepared to face the court of law, he received a great deal of council from his lawyer and those close to him.  He knew he would be asked to declare himself innocent or guilty of the crime he was accused of.  He undoubtedly received a lot of council to plead “not guilty”.  He himself probably felt a strong pull to so plead.
                But my older brother knew he was guilty.  He knew the laws of God required him to confess his guilt.  And so as the day approached for him to enter his plea, he determined he would truthfully declare himself guilty.  Though he probably had a fairly good idea, he couldn’t be certain what the outcome of this declaration would be.  But he knew his standing before God would be harmed by lying before the judge.  And he knew telling the truth would be better for him in the long run.
                So my older brother, a man of great courage, exercised a form of courage most neglect.  He told the truth about his misconduct and courageously faced the consequences of his actions.  In the world we currently live in, this form of courage is quickly disappearing from the hearts of most of the children of God.  Most are afraid of consequences.  Schools are continuously decreasing the requirement for children to face the consequences of their choices.  Adults place the blame for their actions on anybody they can find.  Few, oh so very few, have the courage to admit when they have erred, and even less have the courage to face the consequences associated with that error. 
                I’ve been very fortunate in my life.  I’ve been able to witness this form of courage in at least three people.  My older brother has it; my younger brother has it; and my beautiful wife has it.  So I’ve been fortunate to witness many circumstances when this most noble form of courage has been demonstrated.  I hope their great courage will rub off onto me over the years so I, too, can learn to carry this noble characteristic.  After all, it is a characteristic the Lord our God would have us possess.
                Now you may wonder how this requires faith.  The truth is you must have faith, like my brother, that after you have courageously admitted your faults and faced the consequences, you will be in a better place in your life than if you hadn’t.  You will probably have doubts along the way.  The consequences may be long and difficult.  But you must ultimately believe God will reward you for your choice to righteously confess your faults.
                So, as you consider courage, remember the noblest form of courage that requires great faith.  Remember it takes great courage to admit your errors and face the consequences associated with them.  And strive to build this noble courage.