Family Life: A Teenager’s Place (Part 4)
One of the most important character traits needed in a young person is “courage.” We live in a day of weakening standards and loss of spiritual strength. How can we make sure we are implementing courage in the lives of our young people.
Again, let’s go to Scripture and consider the Biblical example of David. I Samuel 17:10-15 “And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
I Samuel 17:24-25 “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
Let’s move down to verse 32. “And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.”
Courage is not found in a quotation or in a motivational picture. Courage is built in the heart of a young person. It does take time, patience, and practice; but I believe all Christian teens can have courage through knowing and serving God. Courage starts with a fear of God. The right fear of God, which stems from a Biblical fear of Dad, will develop courage—courage to stand up against those who offend God. An offense against God will eventually be such a great cause for you that you cannot sit still or stand down.
Courage continues with strenuous spiritual exercise. You will not develop courage in young people who are lazy in their work ethic. In the chapters preceding this story in I Samuel 16, you understand that David was in the outdoors and had exercised his sling, his weapon of warfare, so that coming up to Goliath was a challenge but not overwhelming. He had exercised himself in combat. If we desire courage in our young people, they must be exercised in the disciplines of spiritual warfare and learn to use the Christian weapons that God has given us in a way that will make them victorious.
Courage is demonstrated by actions, not words. Eventually, David had to “put his money where his mouth was.” This is not always easy, but actions in the life of a young person are where courage is built. Talk is cheap and talk is easy to deliver if there is never any follow-through. The toughness comes in the battle ground of life. There must be continual engaging with the Sword of the Spirit in order to see if one is ready and useful in the attacks that the enemy engages us in.