Welcome to “Athlos” a weekly blog which examines pillars of personal excellence and regularly brings together the worlds of Christian spirituality and sport.
Courage is ambitious
“David said further to his son Solomon, ‘Be strong and of good courage, and act.…”-1 Chronicles 28:20
Courage is contagious
There are few things more inspiring than a father saying to his son: “Don’t be afraid. You’ve got this.” Such words are empowering. This was the above story of the biblical hero David equipping his son Solomon, the man of wisdom. Equally attractive is to see bravery amid adversity. It is the account of Charis Pavely, an English youth cricketer diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), whose exploits were a recent feature on BBC Sport.
Quite fitting is the fact that Pavely’s first name is Charis. Charis is a Greek word meaning grace, gift or favour. Her character is indeed a gift to us. I say this keeping in mind the words of author Brene Brown who noted the following: “Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It’s having the courage to show up even when you can’t control the outcome.”
Don’t fear, just show up. Get your hands dirty. Jump into the arena. Take a risk. You don’t have to be reckless, but you can get out of your comfort zone. This is vulnerability, openness, surrender and faith all in one. David wanted Solomon to show up. God would be his ultimate shield, but he needed to be available. The flow chart was not complicated. Strength leads to courage and courage leads to action.
Charis also showed up. She risked being labeled, ridiculed and misunderstood. Her ADHD did not deter her from putting herself and her athletic ability out there. She had a gift and no developmental delay would prevent her from excelling.
I want to become that type of man: a husband, father, brother and friend who is willing to have strength, to show courage and to act. I do not need to know the outcome, I just need to get involved, make a difference, trust God and inspire others along the way.
Courage is conspicuous
Courage, like cowardice, is easy to spot.
If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.
