Humble Courage - Paul

“I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.”

Acts 20:19-20

What image comes to mind when you think of courage? A Rambo-esque soldier who seems impervious to pain or injury? A strong leader such as the great British statesman Winston Churchill? Someone who successfully fights a life-threatening disease and goes on to live a long, healthy life?

When most men think of courage, they don’t also think of humility. A hero, they believe, steps up to the plate during a difficult time with an independent, “I can!” attitude. He is strong, self-reliant, and ready to take the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The Bible’s portrait of a courageous hero looks markedly different. He is confident, all right, but also humble. A biblical hero knows that his courage flows from the One he serves and not from his personal reserves of strength.

The apostle Paul had both qualities. He never seemed to concern himself with the personal consequences of his often unpopular preaching. He knew that lifting up the name of Jesus Christ meant trouble and persecution, but he preached anyway.

Paul didn’t seem too concerned with whether individuals would like his message. He knew that they needed to hear it, so he preached it. His courage flowed from his conviction that God wanted him to share the truth of forgiveness and restoration from God through Jesus Christ.

You have probably never met anyone as courageous as Paul, but he would be the first to tell you that his courage was dependent on his humble reliance on God’s strength and protection, not on his own abilities.

Wimps do not trust, rely on, or obey God. That requires courage and humility that wimps lack. When you are humble and rely on God in everything you do, you will model courage and humility—and no one will mistake you for a wimp.