Welcome back to another episode of Manly Monday! Our bimonthly video series for Your Other Brothers.
In this episode, Tom dives into the fourth of our five YOB values — courage. A value that goes hand-in-hand with our final value, vulnerability. In order to embrace vulnerability, however, one must first take courage.
Watch the video below as Tom talks about rollercoasters, public speaking, and Holy Spirit promptings.
As always, feel free to give us feedback on our YouTube (YOBtube) video or in the comments below. Check out our About page for more about our five values, origin story, and FAQ.
OUR VERSE FOR THIS WEEK
Psalm 31:24 (ESV) —
“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”
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DISCUSSION
What comes to mind when you consider the concept of courage in your life? What actions — and inactions — stick with you? What “Holy Spirit promptings” have you encountered?
About the Author
Whenever I think of courage, I think of a decision to do what is right in the face of an easier option. I believe it takes courage to follow one’s convictions when other choices could be more accommodating or make people happier.
I love your point as well that courage is something you take. I think of Joshua 1:9 where God says, “Be courageous.” He doesn’t say, “Let courage occur if at all possible.” He tells Joshua to take courage for himself. I appreciate the reminder, Tom, to take courage and not just excepted it to happen.
Yeah, my passivity has often told me to “wait for the right moment.” Whatever that means. Nothing will ever be perfect. You’ve got to jump out and take that courage.
Okay, Tom. There is something freeing about cresting the top of the hill on the roller coaster and begining to go into the drop on the other side??? No. No Way! I went on one at the end of fifth grade, when our Safety Patrol team (I know, don’t laugh) went to an amusement park as an award for standing out in the rain, snow and cold to ensure other students safely made it across the street before and after school.
So, I like have literally no apprehension while we are standing in line. But the moment we started to go up the first incline, I realized I had made a tremendous mistake. The drop over the other side sent my heart into my brain. There was nothing freeing about it, I’m tellin’ ya. How I made it through to the end I will never know. Needless to say, I’ve never set foot in one since.
And I love your penchant for needless details: “We were at Chipotle…I ordered a barbacoa bowl…It was really good.” LOL! And what was that comment at the end about feeling free to point out things need corrected, unless they are visual?
Okay, so, perhaps one of the greatest difficulties of my life was speaking to my pastor about the sexual abuse I suffered as a child, its aftermath of confusion, and the reckoning I’ve had to go through as an adult because of it. It took a lot of will and determination just to get the words out. His loving response and support were precious and, yes, FREEING. This happened a little over two years ago. I cannot tell you what it meant to confide in him.
What is the old cliché? Courage is not the absence of fear, but facing our fears. But when it comes to roller coasters, I am content to be a coward.
I’m all about the details. Though I disagree on “needless”! The world needs to know of my love for barbacoa bowls.
Rollercoasters may not be for everyone. But wasn’t it at least a little accomplishing to crest that hill? I’m still not a huge rollercoaster person myself and can’t even remember the last time I rode one. But there is that sense of triumph after I suffer through the fear leading up to the drop.
Nonetheless. I dig that quote about courage, Kirk. It’s so true. Courage and fear go hand-in-hand.
Not me, brother. I was like the pope. I wanted to kiss the ground when we got out of the carriage and set foot on the good old terra firma again.
I like that old saying, “Play the man!” I have been thinking of this often lately when I feel like I cannot face my fears (roller coasters excepted). You may not feel manly, but the play the man anyway.
After reflecting on courage for a few days I gotta say I’m blown away by the courage I see in the YOB community. Very prominently, of course, are the raw, painfully candid articles a lot of the authors write. But I think every person I’ve encountered in YOB is displaying a tremendous amount of courage just by showing up–bringing all their struggles, doubts, convictions, baggage, hopes, and needs, and saying “I don’t know what the future looks like, but whatever it is I’m here for it.”
In terms of courage, around here I feel outclassed most of the time! Y’all provide a lot to look up to.
(P.S. I know pedantry is the worst and also it’s 2018 and we’re all supposed to have grown out of prescriptive linguistics by now, or whatever, but: You may be interested to know that Manly Monday is semimonthly because it happens twice a month. If it was once every two months it would be bimonthly. Coolthanksbye)
I actually did look up the word prior to using it for the podcast and now this video series, and it can be interchangeably used for either twice a month or once every two months. The main thing is that something bimonthly is happening twice in some span of time, I suppose. Semimonthly probably better removes all doubt, though.
Weird! I looked it up too, to avoid putting my foot in my mouth, so… ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Doesn’t really matter anyway haha.
When I think courage, the first person who comes to mind is Rosa Parks. I’m appalled at how I managed to screw up the facts concerning her historic and justified civil disobedience. She took a risk and refused to give up her seat IN THE COLORED SECTION of a bus to a Caucasian male passenger. When you accept the risk and subsequent consequences for your actions in light of a noble cause and purpose, then I say that is the definition of courage.
She’s a good one to follow.