COURAGE

John the Baptist. He truly was a "different" character.

When those around him were wearing Under Armour and Nike tunics, he was wearing a home-made version of camel hair. His diet of locust and honey made him "organic" long before they starting twice as much for it!

But what made John the Baptist stand out was his unwavering commitment to live and proclaim his worldview in a hostile environment.

When church-goers were content to "fill their pew", John the Baptist called them to follow Christ.

When church leaders grew infatuated with position, status and hierarchy, he called them to repentance.

When King Herod wanted to have an affair with Herodias, his brother's wife, John stood up and said, "That is wrong."

The latter would eventually cost him his head.

We live in an ever increasingly "gray" world where the politically correct are applauded for their tolerance and where those who forsake such shallow ovations are denigrated.

The "morally courageous" are prompted to act rightly in the face of popular opposition.

by Dr. Gary Cramer