The Bravery of Seeking Unity
Last week I wrote about “How To Build A Wall,” perhaps one of my most important posts ever, seeking to bring some sanity to the divisiveness that many people have become trapped within.
Could courage hold the key to uncovering unity?
It’s going to take courage to move into the lives of other people, and may be the very best way to live out your faith, believing that one person can make a profound impact on other people. Courageous faith believes that with God (and a lot of hard work) anything is possible. Courageous faith says that nothing is going to hold me back, especially fear.
I love what Nelson Mandela said about fear, “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.”
The bridge of my song “Brave” speaks to this:
Fear has no place in me Your love has set me free No matter what comes my way I know I can be brave!
Check out my song “Brave” and the new versions I just released wherever you listen to music. Search “Marcus Royce Brave” on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, or YouTube.
Q: How can we courageously move into the world and interact with the innate chaos of people and situations without driving ourselves completely bonkers?
A: Being rooted in a firm identity of our belovedness allows us to step into any situation we encounter and seek to make it better, believing we can affect change from a position of love and peace. We can’t change people with violence or combat.
Who have been some of the people who have brought about peaceful change most effectively throughout history? Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, for starters. They didn’t build an army with swords and shields, they used actions of love, rooted in faith and peace, to affect change. When we’re angry, combative, or even just complaining, we’re only going to push people away from us. When we’re rooted in surrender and acceptance, we are more likely to find peace all along the journey, regardless of the outcome.
Where do we begin? There’s one thing we have to do before we can start to climb this mountain. Let me illustrate it with this story.
Back in Nashville, there are a ton of horse farms. Whether you’re driving to the post office or the grocery store, there is always beauty to be observed in the tree-covered hills and animal-filled farms. A particular area I would pass frequently had a large ravine carved by water runoff. One day there were about fifteen horses hanging out in the dried-up ravine. But there was one lone horse standing on the side. For some reason, she chose not to be down in the ditch with everyone else. That’s I how want to live, I thought.
To reach the higher ground, you have to courageously climb out of the rut.
This life of bravery is so contrary to how we are wired. It doesn’t make much logical sense. I understand why so many people choose to live in a rut, never pressing themselves to get out of it. I certainly don’t want to live in a rut, but choosing to climb out of it is going to take great courage, effort, and vulnerability.
History is filled with stories of people who chose to make something of their lives, sometimes against great odds—risk-takers who did what other well-intentioned people advised them not to do.
One of my heroes is Minnesota Twins’ Hall of Fame baseball player Kirby Puckett. Growing up in an extremely poor family on the south side of Chicago, with a 5’8” physique that didn’t exactly scream superstar athlete, Kirby defied the odds. He had a gregarious personality and dynamic baseball playing abilities. He was inspiring to me because of his deft ability to leap seemingly twice his height to steal homers out of the centerfield bleachers, and slam hits and game-winning runs just when needed the most. If you witnessed his heroic performance in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series, you know what I mean. But what really made him a hero to me was his ability to inspire and motivate his teammates and the crowd.
At his 1996 retirement press conference, Kirby said, “I was told I would never make it because I’m too short. Well, I’m still too short, but I’ve got ten All Star Games, two World Series Championships, and I’m a very happy and contented guy. It doesn’t matter what your height is, it’s what’s in your heart.”
Listen to my special musical tribute to Kirby wherever you listen to music like Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, or YouTube. Search for “Marcus Royce Just Watch Me (Kirby Puckett Tribute Version).”
The Beauty of Living From Your Heart
I want to be like Kirby, someone who never gave up regardless of what well-intentioned people told them to do. I’ve seen glimpses of what it’s like to live from my heart, fueling my actions with courage and faith. That’s when I truly feel alive.
So, let me ask you…
What is it that makes you come alive? Do you have specific interests and abilities that you could use to serve other people, to bring hope and healing into the dark places?
A great way to discover a path to explore is by identifying what breaks your heart. Toward what people or circumstances have you felt compassion enlarging in your heart?
I can’t wait to hear your story!
I have had some of the best experiences at the grocery store. Just taking the time to smile and say "hi" to a person stocking shelves or being friendly to a weary and often ignored or rudely treated cashier can make such a difference to that person. Occasionally, I will ask them if they like to read, and if they say "yes," I offer them one of my books (I always carry extras in my car to give away). I'm amazed by how their faces brighten and countenances change just by being given such a simple gift. Now, when I visit the store, we greet one another with a smile and a wave. And we chat as they scan my groceries as would two old friends catching up. It's amazing how making another person feel "seen" and appreciated can bless one's own life.