Courage or Recklessness?

Do you recall a person in your life whose constant attitude was, “I’ve already made up my mind; don’t confuse me with the facts”? Most of us have made a few bad decisions for lack of information. But have you ever become so committed to a course of action that you intentionally closed your mind to information that might persuade you against it? Perhaps it was the time you chose not to check a car’s reliability ratings because you really wanted the car. Or perhaps it was the time you avoided asking a sensitive question during a job interview. Sometimes it’s easier to assume now and to complain later when you find out you were wrong rather that to face reality up front.

Courage is not recklessness. Courage does not spawn momentum by ignoring potential pitfalls or obstacles. Courage welcomes information, especially the kind that might impact the direction or timing of a decision. Yet courage does not get stuck in “the paralysis of analysis.” You can never know enough to eliminate every danger; only God knows the future. So choose to move forward in spite of well-understood risks. Courage embraces reality with all its hazards, “eyes wide open”.

~John

Fear and Love

I just finished reading Lifesigns, by Henri Nouwen. Though written in the 1980’s, I found his message timely for 2008. He says we are driven by fear or love. The two cannot coexist. “Fearful questions never lead to love-filled answers,” Nouwen claims.

I often think of love as the opposing force to hatred or apathy, but seldom have I considered love the alternative to fear. Yet how often does sheer survival hinder my relationships? It seems innocent enough. “If I call her, she might need something and I really don’t have time right now.”

“You volunteer once or twice, and then it never ends.”

“If I praise him for pulling up his grades, he’ll think B’s are good enough.”

Fear – of a runaway schedule, unyielding demands, or underachievement – stops love in its tracks. Though I want to extend my arms, fear suppresses my desire.

I’m thankful the God of love is stronger than my fears. By his grace, he nudges me along, to choose compassion over isolation, generosity over selfishness, encouragement over criticism . . . love over fear. What fearful questions are you asking today? How is God challenging you to ask different questions?

~Joyce