Thought for the Day – September 17th by ebturner on DeviantArt
C.S. Lewis commented, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point.”
We so often describe courage in either extreme ways or nonsensical ways that it is difficult to understand something of what courage is. On the one hand we have a tendency to describe courage in a way that sounds like some type of Hollywood hero story. Thus, courage is a Seals team member, of a Medal of Honor winner, etc. This type of definition makes courage a quality which very few reach. On the other hand, we have definitions of courage that diminish courage to the point that it becomes a quality that means nothing more than that you did something unpleasant. For instance, saying something like “she had the courage to take her final exam.” Well, she was going to have to take it, regardless, and the decision to take that exam was nothing more than the decision to do something unpleasant.
But, courage is more than either of those two definitions. I agree that a Seal team member is often courageous. But, his being involved in a Seal team may mean little more than he is an adrenaline junkie. A person need not have vast amounts of courage to be involved in an extreme sport. They only need to have a driving need to feel the adrenaline. In a case such as that, being involved in an extreme sport may not be evidence of courage, but rather evidence of either stupidity or an uncontrollable mental need for an adrenaline rush. At the other extreme, it need not mean that one is courageous when one steps in to do something that they will probably be obliged to do anyway. It is probably nothing more than acceding to the inevitable.
This is why C.S. Lewis’ comment helps bring clarity. As Christians, we believe in striving to live a virtuous life. But, as C.S. Lewis pointed out more than once, virtue is not simply doing the good things that a society expects you to do. Virtues are often these steel-hard and cutting approaches to life that bring truth to life every time they are exercised. Thus, Jesus makes statements in the Gospels such as, “you have heard it said that … but I say that.” When you read Jesus making one of those statements, he is often pointing out that a real virtue does not merely comply with social, or even legal, demands, but a real virtue takes an attitude or behavior much farther, to the point that one cannot even imagine doing its opposite. Thus, killing your brother is clearly murder. But, Jesus says that even calling your brother a fool is also a type of murder. You cannot say that you truly love your brother and care for him until your very self rebels against the possibility of demeaning him by calling him a fool, even as a passing anger. The virtues of love and of respecting the dignity of your brother—who is created in the image of God—when properly inwardly put into practice will stop one from demeaning his brother or sister.
Courage is what every virtue calls out when it comes time to apply that virtue. The person who resists calling his brother a fool, and perhaps even more, is unable to allow the words to pass his mouth, is demonstrating courage. It is at the time of application that courage comes into its own. Every virtue is no virtue until it is applied. But, no virtue can be applied without courage. It is when the test comes that courage shows itself. It is when the virtue is challenged that courage shows up. The person who remains chaste in the face of temptation, the person who resists calling his brother a fool, is a person who is showing true courage. To return to an earlier example, the Seal team member who faces a withering firefight for love of country, or for a desire to save hostages, or to defend the innocent demonstrates courage in a way that the adrenaline junkie cannot. It is when the test comes and the virtue is called to account that we can tell whether the person is a courageous person or not.
Courage does not belong to the brave, the bold, the fearless, or the adrenaline junkie. Courage belongs to the virtuous and to those who faithfully carry out their commitments and live out a life of quiet obedience. That is true courage.
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