Deuteronomy 31:6 The Message “Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”
God is so good! Just let me tell you! He will not leave you or forsake you! There is a lot going on in our communities, cities, states, nations and the world! Black Indigenous People of Color have and are enduring so much! It makes you want to holler and throw up both your hands. Why are Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) dying at alarming rates? It is because of systematic racism and oppressive systems which have been endured from generation to generation. Systems which have denied BIPOCs health care, education, employment, housing and the list goes on. For many years people were led to believe it was their fault. All they had to do was work hard and everything was going to be alright! In the pain and suffering, God sees us through! It is time for us to put on our armor of courage to do what we must do to create the change we want to see. It may take a while, but it will be!
From the Bible to fairy tales; ancient myths to Hollywood movies, our culture is rich with exemplary tales of bravery and self-sacrifice for the greater good. Examples are the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz who finds the courage to face the witch as well as David battling Goliath in the Bible. Yet courage is not just physical bravery. Social activists, such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, chose to speak out against injustice at great personal risk. Entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs and Walt Disney, who took financial risks to follow their dreams and innovate, exemplify the rewards and public recognition that courage can bring.
Courage, a noun, as defined in Dictionary.com is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. I need you, my brothers and sisters to stand with conviction. We need everybody on the frontlines as the attacks are coming from all directions. There are so many who do not want to see any of us succeed, but we will because God is on our side! If you watched the PBS documentary on the Black Church, it was said we are here in spite of how many times we were attacked. From the ships packed with slaves, to working in the fields, to being beaten, then being lynched, and the list goes on and on as we journey to today. But still, we rise! Why? The courage to stand in it! The courage not to give up! The courage!!!
As you know this is #StuffValSaid, but what do you say? What are you standing in? Where is your courage and for what? How will courage move you to action? Here are a few things to consider:
• Brave – to dare and challenge
• Determined – to persist
• Fearless – to not be afraid
• Tenacious – to never give up
"Sometimes standing against evil is more important than defeating it. The greatest heroes stand because it is right to do so, not because they believe they will walk away with their lives. Such selfless courage is a victory in itself." —N.D. Wilson, Dandelion Fire Love you!
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