Nurturing courage
These are reflections on what I have seen taking place, as exemplified through the ministry of others as they act courageously as signs of hope. Their ministry is truly a taonga.
It is often noted that a culture of ‘fear’ seems to be present in the church. That apparent fear seems to prevent good people from doing what’s right, or engaging in areas of ministry that might assist the church to flourish. Sometimes this fear is about what those in authority might say or how they might respond, other times it’s about a fear of the views of peers, or even a fear of failure and looking silly or getting hurt (or hurting others). Fear can be a powerful inhibitor.
It seems to me that fear is a condition which is feed by and feeds into low levels of confidence. We feel confident organizationally and personally when we feel that we do not stand alone. Isolation is the greatest single destroyer of confidence. The New Testament talks very clearly about this and the need for us to support one another and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5 in this weeks RCL readings for example does exactly that).
The best way of removing fear seems to be to increase confidence and reduce isolation. We can reduce isolation most simply and effectively by offering support to one another. Support of this kind is unconditional. It is given by virtue of us being that group of people we call ‘church’. To awhi each other creates a fertile soil for the seed of hope to be planted. For it to grow, courage is needed, and courage can best be present when support or awhi is offered – when we know we are not alone. Courage comes from an assurance that we stand in the truth of the Gospel, not to appease and please others, but to offer glory to God by doing what is right.
When hope grows through living courageously it gives rise to transformation that is personal and public/social/relational. And that transformation is the good news of Jesus Christ which we call ‘gospel’. It can only live in and through culture, and that culture, as Jesus tirelessly seeks to demonstrate, comes through a community that prays, that worships, that cares for and supports each other.
Therefore, to awhi or care for each other is the biggest and most important single act we can do for hope to be offered and the gospel to be lived. We need to do more of it. For when it happens, as I have seen recently, fear is replaced by hope, truth is revealed, and life is given a chance to truly flourish.
May God bless us and keep us and hold us gently in his hands amidst turbulent times, and the blessing of God, creator, redeemer and giver of life remain with us always. Amen.
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