I recently was reminded of a great line from a movie that I saw a couple years ago. “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” Great quote, huh? Curious about which movie that is from? Sure sounds like a line from Braveheart or Gladiator, doesn’t it? Ah…I wish that was the case. That line actually comes from the 2001 blockbuster chick flick, The Princess Diaries. Don’t judge me. The point is not what movie it came from but what the quote is saying.
I often hear people say that they are too afraid to stand up for what they believe in. They see someone is being bullied and slandered or someone is bashing their faith, but the fear of being different, isolated, or rejected keeps them from doing what they know is right. These situations are known all to well by me too. My fears and insecurities have kept me from acting more times than I would like to admit. Whether in a school cafeteria surrounded by friends or at work with colleagues, maybe you can recall times when opportunities to stand up for someone or something was presented before you too.
I wish I could say there was a magical formula to ensure that in pivotal moments fear would not show its ugly face but I can’t. Because of Adam and Eve’s first sin, fear is a part of our fallen nature. What I can do is echo the words that God said so many times throughout the Sacred Scriptures that gave peace to those who heard them, “Be not afraid.”
Fear and courage are huge topics that I could write about forever. I could give more examples. Or maybe come up with some creative analogies to help explain the differences between a life lived with courage compared to fear. Then I could show the Church’s teachings on the importance for taking a stand for the faith and speaking up for the lowly and weak. Then lastly, I could give Scripture verses that encourage and empower us against fear. Like I said, I could go on and on. Instead, I’m just going to ask you a simple question. But really think about it. Be real with yourself. And be honest.
What would you do if you were not afraid?
