Between the Lines XV: 2024, the Year of Moral Courage
Much of the Christian world observed the anniversary of the birth of Jesus two days ago, but Christ is born anew in the hearts of millions of people every day. Every time someone acts with integrity, gives generously, or comforts another person, Christ has entered their heart and announced its presence. The result – tangible proof of the power of truth, the beauty and grace of love, the goodness of God – is healing in some form.
Proving the presence of Christ always takes courage. It took courage for Jesus to ask forgiveness for those who were trying to kill him. It took courage for him to love and heal people whom society rejected. And he was hated for it, not because he had loved these people but because, at least in part, he had exposed the deep problems with the systems of belief governing the world at the time – many of which still hold sway. The courage he showed in opposing these systems and the thinking behind them wasn’t physical courage, although he went through physical torture without complaining. What he showed was moral courage.
Moral courage is doing what’s right no matter the threats we face. It’s taking on the evils of the world without engaging in evil ourselves. To expose and criticize a corrupt politician out of hatred or fear is not moral courage. Moral courage is doing it out of love.
If, in the coming year, the world keeps exploding in anger and fear, if dishonesty, greed and mad ambition seem unstoppable in their quest for power, moral courage from all of us will be sorely needed to prove that evil can’t win. Many commentators expect 2024 to be a tumultuous year, and, left unaddressed, that could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, let’s do something about all the fear right now, before the calendar turns, and set out an agenda for 2024.
Let’s make 2024 the Year of Moral Courage.
We are all tempted by some of the multiple forms of evil, and this is where we have to start. We need to grapple with our own failings and not back off in discouragement when the task seems impossible. This means waking ourselves from the belief that there is pleasure or power in greed, dishonesty, lust, envy, hate. I know it seems impossible sometimes, but we can’t stop fighting.
American President Abraham Lincoln struggled with deep emotional problems, yet he showed profound moral courage when, in the midst of a bloody civil war, he urged his fellow Americans to act “with malice toward none, with charity for all.” His example helped America finally develop the courage to outgrow slavery and become a powerful industrial nation. Many other Americans over the decades, people like Martin Luther King, Susan B. Anthony and Franklin Roosevelt have shown the moral courage to challenge evil and help move the nation forward.
The challenges we all face today are no less severe. We need moral courage to stand firm in the face of political deviance, and unconscionable brutality. Our courage may be expressed through silent prayer that transforms thought, or through speech and action that stands up for truth, but the work must be done, for our own sake and that of others. “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant,” Jesus said.
The kind of courage we need was expressed well recently in a simple LinkedIn post by humanitarian and development affairs expert Avishan Chanani:
“To the people in my professional community, humanitarian and development sectors, who have reached out to many of us asking “are you not afraid of speaking out?” – the answer is a loud and indignant, no. There is no greater misuse of the privilege of a comfortable life than remaining silent. Needless to say, many of us who are speaking out in the sector have lived through wars, have lived through displacement – have been stateless, asylum seekers, refugees, have lived through every “othering” word and act imaginable, we have faced the insidious and often violent face of racism in every facet of our lives, we have had or continue to have loved ones imprisoned merely for existing or for wanting to effect positive change in their societies. We are speaking out because we know what happens when those around us are silent. So, no we are not afraid of speaking out, because we know all too well the dire consequences of remaining silent.”
Of course, in the end it comes down to what we do, not just what we say. Jesus stood up to the hypocrites and cruel bigots of his day. We can do the same. A good model is the little child in Isaiah, who presents an image of fearless, healing love: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them” (Isa. 11:6).
It may be a relatively small crowd that understands the importance of moral courage, but humanity’s future rests to a large degree on their shoulders. Let’s strive to join their ranks in 2024.
Note to readers: As always, comments on Between the Lines are open to everyone.