It turns out that it was the same crowd that cheered for Jesus as he entered Jerusalem that jeered him just a little bit further on in the story. Apparently what people are saying about you is not a very good measure of the worth of your actions.
When have you gotten praise for something not very worthy, or blame for something you did right?
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” ―J.K. Rowling
When have you had the courage to stand up to a friend or family member?
Just imagine all that the words on this monument imply—that Japanese-American men who were sent to internment camps by their government would risk and even give their lives on behalf of that same country. Perhaps the greatest courage is to cultivate a heart bigger than those that surround you.
How do you cultivate a bigger heart?
Do you know why lambs jump and cavort in the spring fields? Because it’s fun, of course. Sometimes “Because I feel like it” is a perfectly good reason.
What will you do today just because you feel like it?
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ―Nelson Mandela
What fear in your life is presenting you with the opportunity for courage?
