Cowardice

[Edited out the initial paragraphs. Upon further research there is more to it, so they were taken out.]

In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Brave Sir Robin is the knight of cowardice. He prances around with minstrels who sing his praises and puts on an arrogant face pretending to be brave. It is obvious to all, however, that he is trying to make up for something he does not have: courage. 

We live in a world run by Brave Sir Robins, and we need to be ready and willing to take it on wherever we find it. If you look past the blustering, the insults, the pomp and circumstance, past the bragging and past the double-talk, you find it lurking there in the background, directing the actions and words of far more people than you think of at first glance.

You can find it in the despots and tyrants of North Korea, Venezuela, and others, grasping onto their tenuous hold on power with all they have, terrified of what might happen if they let the reins of freedom loose even an inch.

You can find it in the weak-willed citizens of so many parts of Europe, scared to stand up for any sort of absolute truth or rightness.

You can find it in Christians all over America, afraid to tell others of Christ for fear of alienating others or hurting their relationships.

You can find it in the halls of Congress, with "leaders" who are too skittish to even vote on a bill not on the merits of it, but because they are afraid they might make someone angry or upset.

So many problems in the world today could be solved if we would dig out the cowardice in our lives, and resolve to face it head on.

To the father who is afraid to show any emotion to his children, fearing his own weakness, wake up. Your children need to know that you are human and that having feelings is not a bad thing. If you are too afraid to confront yourself on your own, get help doing it.

To the mother afraid she will never be what her children need her to be, it is time to lay down that burden and realize that God has given you your children for a reason. He knows what you have to give and will empower you to do so, if only you will trust in Him.

To the Christian worried about alienating a friend or making a relationship awkward, it is not your call to make. God desires all to be His children. You may be the very one He uses to bring that person to Christ. Follow Him, and He will provide. Even if it ends poorly with you, at least you had the love to overcome the fear and try.

We all face fear. We all have moments where we are cowards. We are human.

But we do not have to remain cowards. We can dig down to the root of our fear, accept that it is there, and move forward anyway. You can do it. God will help you if you will open yourself to Him.

My wife has a long-time favorite quote:
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the knowledge that something is more important that fear."

Realize that there are truly things more important than the fear you face. For us to waste ourselves away in cowardice benefits no one, especially ourselves and those closest to us.

Stand up.

Be strong.

Trust God.