Uncommon Courage

Uncommon Courage

My wife and I were staying at Kruger Park Lodge with two sibling families.  One morning we were relaxed outside the lodges when the woman who was cleaning our rooms came out screaming. She had seen a green mamba outside the window to the bedroom we occupied. We trooped into the room. The woman had closed the window. The snake had stopped moving and lifted its head a little. It remained motionless unperturbed by our eyes watching from inside the window. The woman who first saw it, instructed us not to attack it while she went to report to wardens who would come and catch it.  The wardens took a while to show up. In the meantime, some left the window. I was among those who stayed to watch any movements by the snake.  Later the warden came and we all were keen to see how he would capture the snake. He told us the snake was not a green mamba but some harmless green snake. He did not even capture it. He scared it off and it slipped into nearby grass and disappeared. Now came time to share experiences of the snake visit. My elder sister was all out bragging about the boldness of her husband. Apparently, before the warden arrived her husband went outside and took photos of the snake from some distance. Therefore, he earned the praise of being the real man in the place for going outside. I automatically went into defensive mode frantically explaining that I stayed to make sure I did not frighten the snake away and that if it moved, we would know where to try to find it. Whatever the case, the popular expectation was very clear - men ought to show bravery

In today’s world men ought to take the lead in showing moral courage to stand for what is godly  on issues that affect society (Deuteronomy 31:6-8; Joshua 1:6-9; Isaiah 41:10; Jeremiah 29:11).