Showing bravery and courage

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read Exodus 2:1-10 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

‘When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river.’ Exodus 2:3

What does it mean to be brave or courageous? 

It may be facing your fear and doing it anyway – but be assured, I will not be adopting a tarantula as a pet any time soon. It may be showing good leadership, particularly in the face of difficulty or challenge. Volodymyr Zelensky could not have predicted the way his presidency of Ukraine would unfold but he has never stepped back from the task of leading his people against the Russian aggression they face. We may also think that those who speak out for the poor and marginalised show bravery in their words and actions. 

If we think of characters from the Bible who show bravery and courage, the mother of Moses and Pharaoh’s daughter might not be the top of our list. They only play a small part in Moses’ story but without their actions, the events that follow would not be possible. It was Pharaoh himself that decreed that all Hebrew boys be thrown into the Nile out of fear of an eventual uprising against him. At just three months old, Moses’ mother places him in a waterproofed basket in the reeds in the river. What a risk she takes not knowing what will happen. Even though his sister watches on, there is no guarantee that the child will be found and kept safe. 

Then Pharaoh’s daughter comes to bathe and the basket and baby are found. His sister offers to find a nurse to care for the child and so Moses’ mother is given the opportunity to raise him after all. Bravery shown by a mother to save her child, courage shown by a daughter to defy her father’s decree and protect this innocent boy. 

This Lent how might we show bravery and courage in living the lives God wants for us? We are given opportunities to be a voice for the voiceless, to help protect and care for God’s people and the world in which we live. We may not be called to lead a nation, but we are called to make a difference in the power of the Holy Spirit and following the example of Jesus.

Fleur Green, Vicar of Broughton St John Baptist, St Peter & St Martin's Chapels Fulwood