Courage Changes Everything

Courage changes everything.

As he stood before hundreds of people and spoke to them about truths he held close to his heart and lessons that he had learned in his short life experienceLuke Russert had to know that courage changes everything. Luke Russert was 24 years of age when he gave his first college commencement address at Wingate University just a couple of weeks ago. I sat in the front row reflecting on my year of life when I was 24, wondering if I could have had the courage or skill at that age to do what he was doing. My answer was a resounding no!

Courage is an amazing tool if we can claim it. It empowers us to face things we never thought we we would be privileged to face. In Luke's case, courage gave him the ability to offer his first commencement address! It empowers us to be able to face things we never thought we'd have to face. In Luke's case, courage gave him the ability to face publicly the death of his father just two years ago. You may recall, that Tim Russert (former host of NBC's 'Meet the Press'), Luke's father, passed away suddenly from heart complications as Luke and his mother were continuing a family vacation in Europe. He had to have learned in those grief-stricken days, how courage changes everything.

On that day at Wingate University, another brave soul stood before those who were congregated to celebrate the academic success of so many. Rick Hendrick is his name. You may know that Rick has had some challenges in his life but courage has catapulted him. He faced some jail time years ago for some poor decision making on his part, but courage saw him through those tough days. He and his family faced the death of ten of the Hendrick family members (both physically related and business related family) in a plane crash just a few years ago. Courage saw them through those dark times.

Courage may well be what has taken Luke toward the unfolding of his own path as an NBC correspondent. I have no doubt that courage is what has brought about the humility that is unmistakable in Rick Hendrick and empowered him to send plane loads of assistance to the Haitian people amid their recent earthquake.

Courage changes everything. There is an institute called the Virtues in Action Institute whose mission it is to educate others on human strengths as broken down into six categories. Courage is one of those. The VIA subdivides courage into four other categories suggesting that it is bravery is that kind of courage that allows us to do what needs to be done in the face of fear, that perseverance is the component of courage that allows us to keep pushing forward in the face of resistance, that honesty is the form of courage that allows us to practice such integrity that we are able to be true to ourselves in the face of fear and that zest or vitality is that part of courage that helps us face the physical pains of life.

We all seem to have variations on courage relative to our experiences. Many have been the theologians who have proffered their two cents worth on the topic but I am particularly enamored with what the Tao De Ching says of courage. It stems from love because love is what causes the ability to be brave.

I know not what fears, challenges, hardships and ambitions that you face, but I know one thing . . . I watched in Luke . . . I saw it Rick . . . I have learned the lesson in my own ways . . . Courage changes everything!

May courage be ours today! Amen.