March 11

Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant. — 2 Sam 2:7

Courage is one of the finest qualities in manhood.

In the world the quality is rated so high that its absence makes a man an object of contempt. No insult stings more deeply than to be called a coward. Courage is ofttimes associated with war. But we do not need to wait for war to give us a chance to be courageous.

There is a higher courage than that which shows itself in brave deeds on a battlefield. It takes courage to be true amid all the world’s temptations to be false. It requires courage to do what is right, when the multitude about us is doing things that are wrong. It takes courage to confess Christ before the world.

We all need to have our hands strengthened – only God can make us strong for the service to which He calls us. We are set to fight the battles of the Lord. We have victories to win against evil, against wrong. Without a brave heart and a strong hand we shall not be able to stand for God and for truth in this world.