I’ve had moments of courage and I’ve had moments that I’ve been audacious. Are they the same? I don’t think so. You may think it’s just semantics, but I’ve come to believe that I’d rather have courage than audacity. It’s not so much whether I take a leap, it’s more about what motivated me to jump. I’ve learned that most anyone can choose to jump, but few jump for the right reasons. Few people even take the time to evaluate why they’re jumping.
Audacity is defined as the willingness to take bold risks but is also described as rude or disrespectful. If my motivating factor is a love for myself, then I will live an audacious life. I will do what is best for me regardless of who I hurt in the process. I might take huge risks and some of them may even prove to be valiant attempts to achieve greatness. On the outside, I may look successful. I may be envied. Others may praise my boldness. But what price did I pay in order to take these risks? What methods did I use to achieve greatness?
I believe that audacity is birthed out of fear and control. When I am motivated by a love for myself, out of fear and control I will make daring decisions. I will use intimidation, manipulation and domination to get what I want. I will hurt those around me because what’s good for me is all that matters. I will be obsessed with getting what I want. And whether I recognize it or not, I am actually oppressed. I am controlled by my fear. I am motivated by something that is not only impure, but also detrimental to all that I want to accomplish. In winning the prize, I would be losing the game.
There is a better way…a way that I want to walk in more often. A way that may be less traveled. A path that seems to be a bit more overgrown and difficult at times. But in the end, it is a courageous walk. It’s courageous, not just for the sake of being bold, but because it’s motivations are admirable and dare I say, pure. True courage is motivated out of a love for God and others. I will use love to take the steps of courage. I will use grace and truth to trek through the jungle of my relationships. All the while, I will be using love as my tool to create a trail. My hope is that as I create a path by my love for God and others, not only will I be able to travel it’s windy way, but others would benefit from it too. When I am submitted to the Holy Spirit, I am able to walk in courage. It is not oppression, it is submission. I am making a choice to walk in peace as I am submitted to the Holy Spirit’s guiding.
Here is a chart that helped me visualize the difference between audacity and courage.
So what would this look like in life? The incredible thing is that every action or decision made in a relationship has the potential to be either courageous or audacious. The point isn’t what is done, the point is, “WHAT IS MOTIVATING YOU?” There will be times that having a tough conversation is courageous and other times that it would be audacious. Sometimes ignoring something is audacious…other times it’s courageous. But when we are submitted to the Holy Spirit, we can walk courageously.
Audacity is very common. Courage is rare. How I long to live a life of courage! How I long to bring life to those around me…even if it isn’t easy. Each day we have a choice. Will we live audaciously or courageously? Will we be lost in the jungle of our relationships or will we be pioneering new paths that lead to life?
His Princess 4 Life 