Another conversation - Is Your Soul Getting Chipped Away?

I talk about what I'm reading at the moment, the recent death of Christian apologist, Nabeel Qureshi, the kind of church I think one should be a part of, and well...wanting some lightning and thunder.

Thank you, Ps. Priji.

Is Your Soul Getting Chipped Away?

To be or not to be: A Bible prophecy buff

We come across two extremes in Christendom today with regard to the subject of Bible prophecy. 

One approach ignores it altogether, deeming prophecy irrelevant to modern life as a Christian. The other overemphasizes it, to the point where more fundamental doctrines are forgotten and prophetic timelines play an outsized importance in all discussions.

Neither represent the mindset of believers in the New Testament churches.

I can’t open YouTube without yet another video announcing the impending Gog-Magog war. It’s almost as if a group of believers think that merely by stoking feverish interest, the second coming of Christ will be expedited. As if God the Father would determine the best time for his Son to re-enter history, this time as Judge and Avenger, blazing with glory and power, based on the sum total of views, likes and shares. Conspiracy theorists vie to come out with startling pronouncements. The title of their videos are pure click-bait, too often suspensefuly unveiling the name of the antichrist and the exact date of his return. The variety of positions is staggering, ranging not only from the traditional camps of pre-tribulation vs post-tribulation rapture, but to several devious offshoots with zero Biblical grounding, such as the so-called ‘blood moons theory’.

Recently, the self-proclaimed doomsday prophets went into overdrive, after the July 2017 attacks on Israeli policemen on the temple mount in Jerusalem. Several theorists heralded the coming of Christ, as an imminent occurrence. They proclaimed that the building blocks of the third Jewish temple were being laid, even as the video was buffering.

This is certainly not to say that these aren’t fascinating times to live in, especially for believing Christians awaiting the return of their Lord and Savior. We do seem to be hurtling toward the fulfilment of several Old and New Testament prophecies.

Ever since the creation of an independent state of Israel for the Jewish people on May 14, 1948 – events have seemed to occur at a rapid pace. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children”.

After nearly 2000 years, God gathered his people, the Jews, and brought them back to their homeland in Palestine. He kept His promise. It took a long time coming, but it wasn’t a moment late. That event was a linchpin for a build-up of tensions around the world, and particularly in the Middle East.

On the other end of the spectrum, is a dangerously foolish disregard for God’s prophetic calendar. Several mega churches do not teach prophecy from the pulpit; others like Rick Warren have branded it a distraction. This egregious error lulls Christians into a naïve sense of well-being, content to believe that God’s entire agenda is to prosper them on this earth. Another unbiblical teaching within certain Charismatic churches, is the Kingdom Now theology, which promulgates that God’s kingdom and His control will be re-established here on earth through His reliance on a special group of believers. They deny that the rapture of believers will occur. They adopt an activist stance toward the problems of this world, seek to overrun social and governmental institutions, and oppose separation between church and state.

In this context, it is indeed right to ask if there is a balance that can be struck between expecting the world to burst into flames at any moment, and a wilful ignorance of the abundance of prophecies in the Bible, and taught by Christ to His disciples.

Yes, the world is a tinderbox, ready to ignite violently at the flaring provocations among nations.

Yes, the stage is being set for a new world order, and people are looking for a persuasive deliverer to usher in peace.

But no -  Christians do not need a hard-line stance on times, dates and hours. 

They do not need to be militant in defending their view of the rapture and the second coming of Christ, when the Bible is not explicit about the sequence of several events and their time-frames.

They do however, need to be vigilant, and with sanctified wisdom rightly search the Scriptures and interpret the signs of the times. Jesus implored his disciples to learn this lesson from the fig tree – “As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, right at the door”. 

We should be active in good works, prompt in repentance, and alert as we prepare ourselves for the persecution that surely lies ahead.

God has indeed appointed individual believers and His church, to act as the preservative to societal decay, the salve for hardened eyes, and the balm for aching souls. 

Even as we stand ready to shed blood, sweat and tears in the service of our servant Leader, it’s important to be assured of this truth - this world is never going to know real peace, until the Prince of peace returns. 

The voice of the broken

This last month, I was shocked at the news of the passing of Chester Charles Bennington, the frontman for Linkin Park. I’m usually not taken aback by celebrity deaths, since I am too removed from the entertainment scene to feel a connection either to the lifestyle or its inhabitants. This however, was different. I felt sick and shaken, especially because he committed suicide. He hung himself in his home.

Linkin Park released their debut album in 2000. I first heard of them and came across ‘Hybrid Theory’ when I was in junior college, at age 16. The album was a huge commercial success but I never would have guessed this was the band’s debut effort. The lead singer was a skinny, bespectacled, bejeweled, earnest looking guy, with one of the most unique voices ever.

When I was in college, kids branded themselves metal-heads and considered the mosh-pit as an exclusive club, entry into which was determined by the heaviness of the rock bands one was ‘influenced by’. I never quite understood the tribalism of college kids and found myself swimming against the tide, in more respects than one.  

When I first listened to the Hybrid Theory cassette – yes, a cassette. CDs were just becoming popular and not everyone had a CD player - they seemed to me to be yet another band seeking popularity based on manufactured angst. As I went down the playlist, I was fascinated by the unusual combination of lyrical depth, melodic composition, and vocal firepower. Chester’s range was incredible – from low whispers, to soulful croons to feral screams. His heart was truly in it, in the fullest sense of the term.

I enjoyed their next album as well, Meteora. ‘Crawling’, ‘Numb’ and ‘In the End’ became increasingly popular and went on to become their most recognized songs. Although I liked the popular numbers, my preferred songs were the lesser known ones like ‘This is my December’. The lyrics were heartfelt and moving -

“And I'd give it all away

Just to have somewhere

To go to

Give it all away

To have someone

To come home to”

Chester would have been in his early thirties, when his star was rising in the 2000s. At that time, I had no idea of Chester Bennington’s personal story. Not even the vaguest idea about his searing pain, his unrelenting heartache and the demons he fought on a daily basis.  I read his biography only after his death, and then, many of the haunting lyrics he had penned, came flooding back and made awful sense.

After college, I moved on from Linkin Park, and save for some singles like ‘What I’ve done’ largely lost touch with their work. ‘What I’ve done’ was striking, with lyrics drenched in despair but lurching toward hope. Much like he was trying to find God, he sang “let mercy come and wash away what I've done". 

In the end, though, he gave in to the demons who vied for his life. Through his life, with gut-wrenching frequency, he felt like giving up, throwing in the towel and severing the last thread of sanity he was hanging on to. Always inching one step closer to the edge. In the land of the living, death stalked him unremittingly -

“I'll face myself to cross out what I've become

Erase myself

And let go of what I've done”    

                                                                    

#chesterbennington #linkinpark #hybridtheory #meteora

                      

The curious case of the handsome Jesus

I recently finished watching A.D. Kingdom and Empire. It’s a fascinating, fast-paced mini-series on the events that occurred after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Over 12 episodes, the viewer is taken through the experiences of the disciples, the birth of the early Christian church, the spread of Christianity, and looms over the events that led to the eventual destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

It depicts the escalating tensions between the early followers of Jesus and the religious system of the day, in a gripping style. It does take liberties to fill in gaps between the chapters of the Gospels, and in some instances, does not portray Biblical incidents in true context. That being said, it is eminently watchable and will rouse a desire to better understand the roots of the early Christian church.

The series is produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, who also produced the Bible mini-series telecast on the History channel, and the movie ‘Son of God’.

As a kid, I enjoyed watching movies on the life of Jesus and have fond memories of viewing them with my family. Those were early years; I continued watching the newer movies made on Jesus and happily, never grew tired of them.

A strange trend emerged as Hollywood decided on a bigger say in the genre – the appearances of the men cast for the role of Jesus grew more and more striking. 

From the sculpted Jim Caviezel, to the traffic-stopping Diogo Morgado, 

to the blinding Juan Pablo di Pace.

As a child, I used to wonder why the Bible did not include a more detailed description of Jesus’ physical qualities. If the Bible described how tall he was, what the color of his eyes were, what his build was like, wouldn’t that put all speculation to rest? Now we have people molding Jesus per their own imaginations. Some claim he was white, some black, and some brown.

On the other hand, there’s also the most common picture of Jesus we’ve all seen. Almost universally, Jesus is shown as a light-skinned, lean man, with flowing robes, holding a lamb serenely and looking forlorn with a halo around his head. Where did that image come from? At some point, we created a sissified Jesus (as Voddie Baucham puts it), who looks like an ethereal supermodel, with silky smooth shampooed hair, manicured hands which haven’t seen a day’s work and feet softened from walking on roses.

Years later, in a moment of clarity, I realized why the Bible was silent about Jesus’ physical attributes. In stark contrast to His portrayals, the Bible leads us to believe that the historical Jesus was actually plain-looking and unremarkable, as stated by Isaiah – “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Yet, we think of Him as a pinnacle of male attractiveness in all our depictions and imaginations of Him.

Imagine how many mothers would have desired the perfect baby, how many men would have chased the ideal look, and how many women would have pursued the textbook man, in their quest to look like, or be with, a reflection of Jesus.  

That Jesus was “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering’ is glossed over or completely forgotten. The Holy Spirit was intentional in allowing minimal details of Jesus’ appearance in the Bible, since He is never meant to be the standard of beauty, but instead the model for character and godliness, for life on earth. As the Bible makes abundantly clear, man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

There are no accidents or oversights in the Bible – we ought to recognize and absorb the gravity of the simple truth behind the silence of Jesus’ appearance. It will also open our eyes to other realities – First, looking beyond people’s external appearance and valuing them as fellow beings made in the image of God, with intrinsic worth. And second, having a renewed understanding of beauty – by discarding the chase to look younger, lighter, or shinier, and instead cultivating the authentic beauty of character, virtue and a gentle spirit.

The Great Gift of Upbringing

I was walking across the living room when the newspaper caught my eye. My Mother had drawn strokes around a section for emphasis. Curious, I leaned in, to read ‘Parents are the ultimate role models for children. Every word, movement and action has an effect. No other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than the parent’.

I can easily imagine what must have been going through her mind.

I turned a year older. As my parents hugged and then prayed for and blessed me, I was reminded of the newspaper clipping and saw with clarity, that I grew into the woman I am today, because my parents took their roles seriously.

My Mom and Dad – Papa and Mummy, are two of the most God-fearing, hard-working, and compassionate human beings I have ever known. Through want or plenty, their girls were raised to believe that they had a purpose for their lives, were deeply loved, and had unique worth. We were trained to think clearly on morality, to give a reason for our hope, and constantly reminded that life did not lie in the abundance of possessions. 

My earliest lessons on Godliness came from my home. We were pointed toward the God who cared not only about how we worship Him, but also how we treat others as image-bearers of God. We were taught to reflect level-headedness and sobriety, in a world where success was equated with frenetic accumulation of wealth. I was exposed to the Biblical conception of sexual morality and why God’s sexual ethic was not a set of rigid codes, meant to bind our freedom, but entirely for our good, releasing us to enjoy genuine satisfaction and fulfilment.

My parents exemplified the values they taught and strove to be our role models. When they fell short, they were quick to rise again, conscious that their children were watching them closely. "Train your children in the way they should go, and when they are older, they will not depart from it". The impact of such training has become clearer, as I’ve grown older.

One of my earliest memories which left an impression on me, happened when I was probably 10-12 years old. We were one of 4 families on the third-floor of our aging building. Since both of my parents worked, my mother did not have many opportunities to mingle with the neighbors, except on the weekends or the occasional friendly greeting on working days. And this is what makes what I’m about to narrate even more remarkable.  We returned home one evening, picked up by our Mother, to a scene of crying and wailing on the floor we resided on. A kin of one of the neighbors had passed away and the body was placed in their living room with their relatives milling about. Mum rushed to open our door and attempted to find out what transpired, while offering to help. Streams of complete strangers were in our living room or in the vicinity of our flat and my mother was handing out water. 

Despite needing to set about her night with dinner and chores, and exhausted after a long working day, our flat was open until the crowd’s flow began to ebb. Startlingly, not one of the other neighbors opened their doors a crack – the families who chatted and socialized were full of excuses that night. Someone was pregnant and the death was inauspicious. People had their preferred superstition or reason. Yet, my Mother served rank strangers whom she would never see again and what was amazing was that she did it without the expectation of gratitude. In fact, it is quite likely that the neighbor who suffered the tragedy was oblivious to my Mother’s acts of kindness.

That night left an indelible mark. It was too early for me to begin thinking about my legacy, but I knew that was the life I wanted to live. It was the most natural thing then, for me to reach out to those less fortunate, while living my own life, with a loose hand on material possessions. I was able to help people financially, or meet their material lack in a way that would not have been core to me, if my parents did not bring home the value of generosity, kindness and compassion, making it real, alive and breathing, and not merely paying it lip-service.

The next incident is a recent one. I was witness to a road accident on my daily commute to work. A young girl lay writhing on the road in agony, after tumbling from her bike and subsequently being overrun by a car, on a chaotic highway.

While some turned away, I was able to help her into my ride and get her to an emergency room; waiting and holding her hand, as she was given emergency care, and wheeled into and out of several test rooms. I spoke to her Father, who was immobile with shock, keeping him apprised, until he was able to arrive with relatives. I will never forget the moment the elderly man grasped my hand with tears in his eyes, and thanked me. But strikingly enough, he saved his most effusive gratitude for the parents who raised me.

No matter one’s religious affiliation, human beings, intrinsically understand that children are the reflection of their parents. The best and most accurate evaluation of a man’s character will always be his children.

In the Old Testament, Eli, the priest was punished because he failed to rein in his children’s wickedness. Even David, who is known as a righteous king, bore the consequences of turning his face away instead of rebuking his children, and of course, lived to suffer the tragic pain of their failures.

It is then, a universal law, that children are the sum and substance of their upbringing. Whether Indian or American, wealthy or destitute, highly educated or illiterate.

It’s a lesson I can never forget, and I will forever be grateful to my loving parents, who walked down the narrow path themselves, before pointing it to their children, as worthy of following. It was a great gift indeed, my upbringing - the gift that keeps on giving. 

A Shout-out to The Bible Project

So, I thought I could write one of those short posts of the kind that the biggies release to their millions of followers, who hang on to every word that leaves their pens. And although I am neither a star nor have more than 1 follower (yes, you, Mum), I wanted to write this (somewhat) short note on a unique and commendable piece of work that I came across. Besides, if Seth Godin can quip on his blog once a day with random thoughts, so can I, no?

The Bible Project is a series of short clips, around 5 minutes long, on the various books of the Bible. Well, they started with covering the books, but have moved on to making videos on themes, word studies, and concepts such as ‘The Holiness of God’, 'The Image of God', 'Animated Explanation of the Law', 'Animated Explanation of Heaven and Earth', to name only a few. It is a spectacular effort to break down the most complex of theological issues into simple (but not simplistic) ideas.

As an example, check out their video on the ‘Book of Leviticus’. Not for the faint-hearted, this book covers a lot of details on rituals, ceremonies, festivals, and even treatment of diseases and bodily fluids. Leviticus is not an easy read and most Christians struggle to understand the purpose, appreciate the symbolism or grasp the context in which this book was written, and subsequently preserved within the Word of God. The Bible Project creates an engaging outline of Leviticus, systematically organizing the contents of the book into thematic parts, while pointing to its central mission. Again, in no way, is the video dumbed-down or even attempts to sanitize some of the difficulties we face while reading passages from the Old Testament.

Another masterful case is the video on the 'Book of Job'. It carried a more profound exposition on human suffering, than I have often heard, preached.

These short videos are an absolute must-watch. Whether you’re a new Christian, a wandering seeker or have had a long walk with Christ, these videos from the Bible Project will whet your appetite to read the Bible systematically, and help you visualize an underlying thread linking chapter and book. Significantly, it will give you a deep insight into the essential continuity, unity and oneness between the God of the Old and New Testaments. I have heard it said that the New Testament is in the Old concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New revealed. These clips do an amazing job in bringing this idea to life. The Bible Project is executed with creativity, passion and excellence – a stand-out execution that deserves a shout-out.  

https://thebibleproject.com/

(Not such a short note, after all).

Why I’m not a feminist

As a woman living in the modern age, with a fair amount of exposure to different cultures, people, and experiences, it comes as a surprise to many, when I express vehement opposition to the idea of being a feminist.

Of course, feminism means different things to different people in different countries and cultures. Gloria Steinem, the iconic feminist figure brought her ideas on the role of women into the mainstream of public discourse. I suppose, feminism at its roots, began as a powerful movement to propel the understanding that women are equal to men. Feminism benefited from the righteous anger of its proponents and many of its themes struck with a chord with women everywhere. Its heart, it seemed, was in the right place.

That germ of a ‘revolution’ has come a long way since then. In the US and other advanced economies, feminism has now morphed into a hatred of the other. It is now no longer enough, as a card-carrying feminist, to insist that women be treated equal to men, at work and home. One must, now demand special attention, careful treatment and superior advantages over men.  A certain virulent rhetoric has seeped into feminist speech that looks down on women who choose what they deem to be a path of oppression, at best.

As with all things, one finds that the Bible lays out a view in complete contrast to the prevailing philosophy of the world. Women hold an exalted position, created equal to men, in the image of God. In fact, I once heard a preacher humorously point to the Biblical passage that said women were ‘fashioned’ as opposed to men who just got made.

In a world of blurred sexual and gender identities, where gender is nothing more than a ‘feeling’ or a ‘product of cultural indoctrination’, the Bible celebrates the difference between the sexes. Women are liberated from the tyranny of male approval and expectations, when called on to remember that they have inherent worth, and are beautiful, valuable and equal in the eyes of their Creator. The proverbial woman of Proverbs (pun intended) is a clear thinker, a skilled entrepreneur and noble in character, all while being elegant, dignified and wise. Still very much, a woman.

Those who are enlightened with this understanding, no longer feel the need to swing to either extreme – trouncing men on a relentless drive to prove they can do what men can, better, or, spend all their lives striving for male attention through an endless pursuit of bodily perfection.

Women can choose to raise and school their children at home, fully convinced of its awesome responsibility and reward. Or they can pursue a demanding career, fully expending their gifts and talents, while keeping their sight on things above.

It must be added that certainly, a woman without a man is not incomplete, just as a man without a woman is not incomplete. Greco-Roman mythology has done humanity a great disservice by trapping hordes of men and women in a life-long chase, to find their ‘missing half’. Well, two halves do not make a whole, Hollywood!

A ‘whole’ woman is the Biblical ideal. So, on that happy note, I’d love to invite a feminist to my home built by a strong woman and her blessed husband, and hopefully point them to a walk which is definitely through a narrow gate, but is absolutely the better way!

This is Home

You were to be my home, the one I was waiting for

When I was tempted to wander, and sorely embittered,

You were the faint strains of a surging melody;

the tranquil waves of a rising sea

I carried the weight of my expectations until I found you;

but as I waited, I prepared, to also be right for you

My words were few, but you understood

Being knit by a common thread, we saw a common truth

Every untold story was waiting to be told to you

Every battle wound was waiting to be revealed to you

When the fire raged, stoked by the winds of conflict, fuelled by the intruder,

You cut through the haze, and ever rose to my defence

When my doubts abounded, amid the clamor of unresolved questions;

Until clarity dawned, you were my honest answer

Until healing appeared, you were my soothing mender

Because when the sun went down, you didn’t let go.

Sleepless and red-eyed, we stumbled into a new day, but you never did let go.

When time and distance clambered to take their toll,

I rested knowing that you’d never let my heart burn;

Never let my core unfold.

I did not get what I wished for, but was granted even the unstated desires of my heart

For I would choose happiness and accolade over the bitter-sweet sting of sanctification,

That my good Father knew from the start.

And I begin to grasp the love of the God of Jacob, marveling,

When you, my beloved, rejoice over me with singing!

Your love is patient and kind;

Displayed through sacrifice; and a girding of your mind.

You swept the chambers of your heart cleaner

So I could walk in barefoot and trusting

You ploughed in fertile, watered ground, ridding it bare of secrets and stories

So I could find my rest in you, my safe haven in tumult and frothing

You held my interests above yours, empathetic, walking in my shoes.

When you did not understand, you tried harder still, and with all your might,

Long after, when I won’t remember what was said, I’ll never forget, oh, just how you tried.

My solid rock, you never tired of loving.

All this while, I thought I would make you whole,

But as your love compels, moves and covers me,

And in a way that only you can,

I’m more whole than I was ever before, my bridegroom, my man. 

Fly-by-night operators in the Customer Excellence Era

In my B-school days, when Amazon was still rising and shining, I’d heard of a legend associated with its founder Jeffrey Bezos. It was said that he listened, really listened, to what his customers were saying and personally solicited feedback. Despite being uber competent, his employees feared receiving the dreaded e-mail from Jeff – a single question mark sent to the concerned department on his receiving a customer complaint.

Doubtless, Amazon wouldn’t be the giant it is today, without its focus on customer satisfaction, and that not merely as a slug line, but by walking the earnest talk.

Cut to a horror story and tell me if you relate.

A ‘business’ advertising its wares with a garish website and flatulent Popeye-esque claims, announcing their aim to please customers. Ergo, customer is impressed. Soon, customer is disillusioned. Now, customer wants the promised refund.

Through a year-long assiduous follow-up, she hears excuses ranging from ‘it’s Bakri-Eid, the staff is emaciated’, to ‘no-understand-English-did you mean refund, we thunk you said you was happy and did not want money back’. Mostly, they just refused to respond. On being written to, the owner spews mindless, blatant excuses, and simply refuses to bother.

The business in question – An online book rental from Mumbai called Librarywala (to be avoided like the bubonic plague).

An important question remained – must I fight to the finish, sword flashing, with the fervor of a Visigoth claiming victory from the Romans, and insist on the deposit they had collected from the customer with an obligation to return on cancellation of subscription…... or simply give up on a petty thief?

Because wisdom can be found in a variety of counselors, I asked for advice. I turned to my not-so-idealistic sister, who suggested writing poor reviews and reporting Librarywala on Better Business Bureau (doesn’t exist in India) and asked me to get over it, with a hint of Wall Street condescension.

The fight was never about the money, but the principle. Be that as it were, I’m finally laying down arms, although not without some patronizing advice of my own. What mama says makes sense. Just because it looks legit, doesn’t mean it is.

If like me, you think, a fly-by-night operator in this day and age, can only look like a dacoit with an eye patch snooping creepily from behind a boulder, we’re both mistaken.

Ask questions, read reviews, and give your custom to the worthy. And if like me, you have a heightened sense of fair-play, ask for your due, even if it doesn’t look like you might win.

In the end, "dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD" (Proverbs 11:1). I rest my case.

A free-wheeling chat

Last Sunday, I met a dear friend, Pastor Priji Varghese in Mumbai, and he set up a podcast quizzing me on success, failure and everything in between.

You can listen to the conversation by clicking the link below:

https://soundcloud.com/pastorpriji/lifetalk-ajin-abraham-1

And I finally took the podcast plunge.

Discerning Your Hand

A watching world cannot understand, they clasp their hands over their mouths, and shake their heads

What does it mean to be blessed, if not riches, and health and friends?

Doesn’t praise lead to prosperity, prayer to protection, and piety to prestige?

She counted all loss as chaff, in the light of gaining her Master;

And declared him immeasurably sufficient, unfailingly good, and ever the sweeter

I marvel at the rich welcome that must have been your servant’s when her spirit left an earthly tent,

I wonder at the Son, who rose up to meet her at the gates,

He walked with her, joined by the multitude she moved on earth; and she astonished at mighty answers to prayers, then unseen, but now crystal clear

She didn’t travel the world, didn’t cross the seas, but greater an impact than thundering lords,

Greater surely, must be her God!

A legacy of hardship endured like a good soldier of Christ; assuredly outweighs land and wealth and gold

May her offspring remember, and thus, may her story ever be told.

Lest we reduce life to cause and effect;

Lest we reduce life to actions, equal & opposite reactions;

Asking why the righteous do suffer, and then fret because of evil, passing our days bitterly groaning

But You do not answer our questions with certainties; only offer Yourself steadfastly and beseech us to do the same.

Your paths are beyond tracing out; Your ways inscrutable.

Truly, I cannot place my finger on them, but with granted wisdom, oh let me please discern Your Hand. 

Courage

• Courage is taking responsibility for your actions, especially when you’ve gone wrong
• Courage is making a public apology, healing hurt without letting the sun go down 

• Courage is generosity of time, money and effort, knowing it may never be returned
• Courage is finding rest in uncertainty, solace despite ambiguity

• Courage is never delaying in making amends
• Courage is sometimes resisting, sometimes fleeing temptation
  
  

• Courage is walking away, even while it deeply hurts
• Courage is believing in a greater treasure, even while it’s yet unseen 

• Courage is choosing not to vent your anger
• Courage is choosing not to lean on your own understanding

• Courage is saying what you really need to say
• Courage is in the stillness of silence

• Courage is in a long, hard look at the mirror
• Courage is truth in the innermost person
• Courage is accepting you went astray

• Courage is in composure and a steadfastly calm spirit
• Courage is in forgiveness and a remarkably unbitter spirit

• Courage is in esteeming yourself, everyday
• Courage is in seeking a fresh start, everyday

• Courage is in compassion and in mercy
• Courage is in giving unreservedly and in empathy

• Courage is outward looking
• is hurting release
• is trusting peace
• is sacrificial love