Mustering of Moral Courage

Articles

Ross Triplett
06/27/21 - Articles

On a scale of one-to-ten, where would you rate your moral courage? The mustering of moral courage is required when an individual has doubts or fears associated with the possible consequences of standing up for truth. Moral courage involves deliberation and careful thought.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’…You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

The scriptures reminded the reader of godly men and women who exercised moral courage when facing great odds. During the height of the Persian Empire, in the writing of Esther, there were two men of interest: Haman and Mordecai. These two men were on opposite ends of the political, social, and economic scale. The king had promoted Haman and advanced him above all the princes that were with him. Mordecai was a servant in the king’s gate.

Concerning Haman, “all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence.” As time passed, “the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom” (Esther 3:1-6). Mordecai’s refusal to bow before Haman was elevated from a simple act of civil disobedience to a matter of life or death: Mordecai’s moral courage wavered not.

In the 1^st Century, Christians were called upon to exercise moral courage when faced with fierce opposition. The Apostle Peter wrote, “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing” (1 Peter 3:13-17).

Jesus said, “And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Ross Triplett, Sr.