Men should have courage. When a home is attacked, the wife and children naturally look to the man of the house to protect them. Men are better suited physically and psychologically for fighting, and this is why armies have always been predominantly male. Women are more afraid of physical conflict; this is why the Bible says that soldiers “become as women” when they are overwhelmed by the enemy (Jer. 51:30). I am not saying it is a sin for a woman to serve in the military. Jael, the wife of Heber, was not a soldier, but she did her part in the battle with Sisera (Jud. 4:21). However, men and women will always be different in terms of physical strength and aggression, and men will always be better suited for combat. That’s how God made us. The wife is the “weaker vessel” (I Pet. 3:7) in spite of modern attempts to prove that men and women are equal in every way.
There is another kind of courage, however, and we are in dire need of women who have it. It is not physical courage for battle, but moral courage for doing right. People admire a soldier for risking his life, and rightly so. But what about a woman who stands her ground for the truth against people who are pressuring her to compromise? A woman with this kind of courage wields more power than she realizes. Moral courage in women benefits society in ways that are seldom appreciated:
- It takes courage for a young woman to tell a young man that his religion is wrong, especially when she really likes him.
- It takes courage for a young woman to tell a young man that she will not allow him to disrespect her.
- It takes courage for a young woman to tell a young man she is dating “no.”
- It takes courage for a married woman to tell the husband she loves that she is going to church even if he does not want to go.
- It takes courage for a woman to tell the husband she enjoys being with that she refuses to watch ungodly movies and television shows even if he insists.
- It takes courage for a woman to admit that her husband is wrong. Abigail did not lie about the kind of man she was married to (I Sam. 25:25). She did not cover up for her husband and make excuses for his sins.
- It takes courage for a woman to tell her husband that she will not deny the Lord when he is threatening to leave her unless she does (I Cor. 7:15).
- It takes courage for a mother to admit her son or daughter is guilty of sin and confront that child. Too many people refuse to see their children’s faults.
- It takes courage for a woman to go forward with her life when she has lost the support of her husband through death or divorce.
Samson had more physical courage than most men dream of having, but he did not have the moral stamina to stand his ground with Delilah. On the other hand, there are women who have more moral courage than a lot of men twice their size. God give us more women, young and old, with this priceless inner strength.
-Kerry Duke
