Guts to Glory!

Lions are well-known for being courageous. That is what makes the cowardly lion in the classic film The Wizard of Oz so memorable. The depiction of the “king of beasts” crippled by self-doubt was comical relief when compared to the remarkable boldness of lions of the wild.

One example demonstrates this. A video on YouTube shows a male lion being charged by a herd of several dozen Cape buffalo. Repeatedly, the buffalo run at the male lion only for the huge cat to turn and charge back at the menacing, nightmare stampede.

Understand that each buffalo weighs three to four times more than a lion and are notorious for being one of the deadliest creatures in Africa. They pursue and kill several kinds of predators, including lions.

The collective noun for a herd of Cape buffalo is aptly called an obstinacy, given their stubborn and tough characteristics. Even hunters using heavy caliber rifles (that can penetrate the length of an elephant) have pumped several powerful cartridges through the vital organs of a Cape buffalo only to be killed by the enraged animal. For this reason, the cattle are also known as Africa’s “black death.”

Yet, in the video, the male lion remained unphased—an impressive show of courage!

God created lions with brute strength, agility, sharp claws and teeth. But the Creator also filled these majestic cats with incredible courage. Lions regularly hunt and kill 2,000-pound Cape buffalo bulls whereas most other predators leave them alone.

To fully appreciate the bravery of the ferocious felines, watch the video on YouTube titled: “1 Male Lion vs 100 Buffaloes – The Courage of a Male Lion.” This clip is a real-life example of what it is like to be “bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1). (The clip contains no gruesome scenes of blood or death—just jaw-dropping courage.)

The lion’s fearlessness demonstrates how God wants us to be: courageous!

We could all wish to have such boldness and valor in our everyday lives, especially when going to a job interview, asking a girl to dance, or even talking to a teacher about getting time off for the Feast of Tabernacles. But at times like these, you may identify more with the cowardly lion on The Wizard of Oz.

Yet Christians’ number-one goal is to “seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). This is a twofold goal: qualify for the Kingdom of God and build God’s righteous character. Doing so in this world where you will face resistance requires confidence—guts. But that is what it takes to reach glory: whether achieving those smaller goals mentioned earlier or fulfilling your ultimate potential as a member in God’s Kingdom.

It‘s Elementary

Think back to your first few years in elementary school. You learned the basics of reading, writing and algebra so you could later understand more complex topics such as chemistry, biology, calculus and poetry. Your primary education supplied critically important tools needed for you to be successful throughout the rest of your schooling and your career.

Similarly, courage is an essential component to building godly character and developing your personality in adulthood.

Renowned world leaders have realized what an immense role courage plays in good character. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated: “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because…it is the quality which guarantees all the others.”

Without courage, it is almost impossible to build other qualities including endurance, moderation, ethics, patience and even friendliness. In addition, it is essential in overcoming fear. South African President Nelson Mandela once said: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Timeless lessons about courage are wrapped up in these statements. Both came from leaders who faced much opposition to their causes and, no doubt, experienced loneliness and fear many times. Their words can inspire us to become bolder ourselves, but teenagers living God’s Way can access an additional type of bravery to succeed.

Obedience to God

At its core, we live in an environment that is hostile toward our beliefs, our goals, and even our very existence. Humanity is deceived and cut off from God (Rev. 12:9) and therefore does not understand why it exists. It does not understand why we follow what the Bible says. Because of this, we are often viewed with contempt and irritation.

Despite this, James 1:23 says that we must be “doers of the word.” Doing what God says means we must build courage to face resistance.

Consider just keeping the Sabbath. The world uses the seventh day of the week to do whatever it wants—whether extra work, extracurricular activities, sports or partying. By keeping the Sabbath holy and abstaining from work and our own pleasures (Isa. 58:3), we truly stand out. In fact, this Fourth Commandment itself almost ensures that every true Christian will face serious opposition some time in their lives.

Now, consider some of the other commandments like keeping annual Holy Days, abstaining from unclean meats, not getting drunk, not keeping birthdays, not observing Christmas or Easter. This world makes it extremely challenging to keep God’s Law faithfully. Living His Way takes strength. It takes courage!

What Is It?

Cambridge Dictionary defines courage as “the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation.” Synonyms are bravery, valor, fearlessness, grit, tenacity, daring, fortitude and guts—among others. God can produce these traits in us to help us overcome setbacks, challenges, persecutions and most important: fear!

Developing courage will help you overcome situations and obstacles that would prevent you from achieving God’s purpose. Remember, He is there to help you in this. Pray that He will help you become more daring, more tenacious, and more courageous before facing persecutions that may cause you to compromise His Law.

To acquire the boldness of a lion, we must know 100 percent that we have the Creator of the universe backing us up. I Thessalonians 5:21 commands us to “prove all things, hold fast to that which is good.” Proving why God created you is essential. He wants you to work to become more like Him and ultimately be born into His Family!

Set your mind to prove God’s doctrines. Study each one by one: the Sabbath, the Holy Days, tithing, clean and unclean meats, baptism, faith, true conversion, one true Church, and much more. The Church has a vast amount of material to assist you in your studies. There are many videos, sermons and items to read alongside your Bible that will make these teachings emphatically clear.

Never forget the incredibly unique opportunity you have. As with Timothy in the New Testament, you know God’s truths early in your life. Notice Paul’s letter to the young minister: “From a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 3:15).

Courage in Action

God’s Way affords us many blessings now, but it is still difficult. Recognize that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 3:12). Satan is the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4) and has the power to control the vibe or the mood of everyone alive (Eph. 2:2). It is little wonder the apostle John stated: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (I John 3:13).

You will encounter hatred toward your beliefs. This animosity will come in the form of peer pressure, temptation, and mocking or teasing. In such moments, the natural response is to shrink back in fear or try to hide your belief.

This is when you need to have the guts like the male lion facing off an obstinacy of Cape buffalo!

Whenever persecutions arise, remember II Peter 2:9, which states: “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.” God can get you through temptations, trials and persecutions, but you must do your part and stay committed. With every trial or attack you overcome, it becomes easier to overcome the next. Watch as your courage grows.

Bible Example

In the Old Testament, Joshua faced some of the most difficult tasks any leader has ever had to face. Over and over, God instructed him to be strong and courageous. He had to keep this in mind when human fear threatened to overwhelm him.

Here is what God told Joshua: “Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (1:7).

God knew Joshua would need a lot of extra strength and courage as he led ancient Israel into the Promised Land and faced its inhabitants. Yet note that obeying God’s commands was also essential to Joshua’s success.

This has great application for teenagers and Christians in the 21st century. We are also surrounded by many temptations and challenges trying to pull us away from God and His Law.

Notice the encouraging words God told Joshua: “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (vs. 8-9).

By striving to obey God, you too can “be strong and of a good courage.” You can confidently rely on God to defeat any fear that comes into your life!

Grow in Courage

There are many scenarios that may instill fear. It is helpful to carefully contemplate situations you may encounter and think about how you can navigate through them. Some of these obstacles include:

• Peer pressure to attend a birthday party or participate in a sports game on the Sabbath.
• Pressure from one of your parents or siblings who are not called by God and therefore do not agree with your beliefs.
• Friends insisting that you like, share or subscribe to social media posts or groups with certain political views or bad entertainment. Resisting this pressure can lead to isolation or verbal attacks.

These are just a few common areas that can cause fear. You have likely encountered many others. When these crop up, remember how courage works. You need to set your mind on the right cause—the Kingdom and building God’s righteousness. Then muster all the strength and courage you can find while asking God to strengthen you further.

If you feel yourself wavering, review Bible verses. Hebrews 13:5-6 is one example, which states: “Let your conversation [conduct] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He”—our God and Father—“has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Sign of Commitment

Whatever life throws at you, never forget God’s powerful promises to those who seek Him and patiently stay committed to His way of life. Consider Psalm 31:24, which states: “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you that hope in the Lord.”

Think back to days in your life when you felt fearful such as driving a car for the first time, seeing a dentist to repair a tooth, or going solo on a high ropes course. It only took one bold decision to overcome those smaller fears—and often afterward you wonder what held you back in the first place.

Having guts in Christianity is similar. The rewards of not compromising the Law far outweigh anything this world has to offer. Not only does God’s Way bring many blessings to your life now, it also sets you on track to qualify for the ultimate spiritual gift—eternal life in the God Family!

Stay committed, be strong and courageous, and God will demonstrate His commitment to you by revealing the glory and awesome inheritance you will receive when you qualify for His Kingdom.

When persecutions and problems come at you like stampeding Cape buffalo, determine to react like that tenacious lion. God has your back in everything you do. If you strive to diligently live His Way, you will see Proverbs 28:1 fulfilled in your life: “The wicked flee when no man pursues: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”