Heroic Courage

This will be the final instalment of my samurai attributes... gripping stuff...

Yu - Heroic Courage: Rise above the masses of people that are afraid to act. Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A samurai must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky. It is dangerous. It is living life completly, fully, wonderfully. Heroic courage is not blind. It is intelligent and strong. Replace fear with respect and caution.

What does this mean? Most of us have read about the heroes who pull people form burning automobiles. What makes that person so different from the others at the scene? The took action. One thing I have learned in my time with the military is that in times of stress (usually in the context of military conflict) the most important thing to do is to act. In an ambush you do not let your unit sit in the killzone - you absolutely must act. Either take action to move away or assault the attackers - but to do nothing is to die. This can, and is, true even in non-combat type situations. If the Lord is showing you something that needs to be done it is most likely not so that you can sit and point it out to others. It is because He has brought you to that situation to act. Either as a leader, or as a part of the team. There are no useless parts of the body. But I like the last sentence of this statement as well. To act is not to rush in and "damn the torpedoes" (although there is a place for that at times). But to quickly asses the situation and take appropriate action. If possible do not contribute to the problem. If in the course of taking action you find that your actions are not helpful don't quit, but be willing to make the necessary changes until the deed is complete. Verse for today: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, ESV Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.