What is Brave?
by Rebecca Chavez
“And Deborah said to Barak, Arise! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera (your enemy) into your hands; behold the Lord has gone out before you.” Judges 4:14
What is the definition of brave? This is a question I threw out on social media awhile back. Here are a few of the answers I got: Exhibiting courage. Loving Jesus when the storm clouds threaten. Bravery is to be fearless. To trust and obey God even when you are shaking in your boots! John Wayne once said, “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.”
Webster’s definition is this: having or showing courage, wild. As a noun: a warrior. As a verb: to face or endure with courage. Courage implies mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger or hardship. Synonyms include, spirit, resolution, tenacity.
Brave is always associated with a person; it’s the one common thread. Brave is someone who gives it all regardless of the outcome for self. Brave isn’t skydiving or rock climbing in my book, although I believe those can be an overcoming and facing of a fear. Brave for me is selfless, not the high that comes from extreme sports or feeling the rush of risk. That sensation is the payoff really….True bravery seeks nothing in return, it risks for the good of the other.
What if brave could be seen in a common, ordinary woman? One like you or me. Deborah from the book of Judges 4 and 5 was an ordinary woman who had confidence in God, because of that God had confidence in her.
The Hebrew word for brave is Ariel, which literally means Lion of God. Another Hebrew word for brave is Tifarah which means ornamental splendor. What a powerful combination of a word picture those two words envision. God clothes the Lion in a beautiful full expression of grace, crowning and framing this fierce and stately creature with a flowing head dress. At the same time the true nature of the animal engages in what is was formed to do: Roar, protect, hunt, and rip to shreds its enemy. Isn’t that why lions are so intriguing? As soft as velvet yet at any moment when its own are threatened it is as though a whole different DNA turns on inside the creature and we witness a truly spectacular and chilling display of its destiny. It is just well, behaving as God intended.
Deborah in Judges 4-5 was just that kind of created mystery. Her secret to bravery? Willingness, commitment, selflessness. She was simply yielding to the chilling display of Gods destiny for her and more importantly to her, for her people.
So what is Brave? The sheer simplicity yet spectacular display of the very DNA of G-d residing in us through Jesus, Yeshua. Brave is not fearless dear one, brave is simply willingness revealed by the Spirit as ornamental splendor for His Kingdom and His enjoyment alone.
Are you brave? You can be……
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