[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":85},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Fa-rare-form-of-courage":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Fa-rare-form-of-courage-surround":74},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":14,"columnName":57,"date":58,"description":20,"extension":59,"image":60,"meta":61,"minRead":62,"navigation":63,"path":64,"postType":65,"publication":66,"publicationUrl":60,"seo":67,"stem":68,"topics":69,"__hash__":73},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Fa-rare-form-of-courage.md","A Rare Form of Courage",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9,10,11,12,13],"2 Timothy","Matthew","Hebrews","Proverbs","Acts",{"type":15,"value":16,"toc":53},"minimark",[17,21,24,27,30,33,36,44,47,50],[18,19,20],"p",{},"Relaxing over bagels and coffee during a break at work, a coworker passes along a juicy piece of gossip about someone you know. Do you speak up and defend your friend? Do you remain silent as the conversation continues to degenerate? Or do you join the barrage and throw in a few barbs of your own?",[18,22,23],{},"A newspaper prints a slanted report about a local leader you know is a man of integrity, implying he's guilty of unfair business practices. Do you write a letter to the editor and provide a more balanced perspective? Do you call the business leader to offer your support and encouragement? Or do you toss the paper aside in disgust, muttering under your breath, \"Yeah, it figures. You can't trust anyone these days!\"",[18,25,26],{},"The preacher at your church has ministered effectively for years, but lately he's seemed moody and his sermons lack their usual vitality. Some church members are discussing the situation. \"I think the elders should ask him to move on,\" one urges. \"Yes,\" another chimes in, \"we need new leadership. I'm not being fed anymore.\" Do you quickly add your own complaints to the mix? Or do you remind the group that your minister is human and the congregation needs to treat him as they would want their own son or brother to be treated?",[18,28,29],{},"It's a rare act of courage to stick up for a friend when others are tearing him down.",[18,31,32],{},"Would you have stuck up for Jesus when he faced torture and death? Peter didn't. He denied the Lord three times. Judas didn't. He betrayed the Lord with a kiss and handed him over to be arrested and crucified.",[18,34,35],{},"Would you have stuck up for the apostle Paul when he was thrown in jail for preaching the gospel? Many didn't. Paul observed, \"At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed . . .\" (2 Timothy 4:16, 17).",[18,37,38,39,43],{},"The first time I visited someone in prison, I was surprised how vulnerable I felt. Before allowing me in, the guards instructed me to remove everything from my pockets and to place my watch, pen, wallet, and keys in a locker. They made me take off my shoes and my belt. They pressed a stamp onto my hand, visible under a special light. Once inside I was allowed to talk with my imprisoned friend, but a guard stood watching and a security camera blinked from a corner nearby. When I reclaimed my belongings and drove off the prison grounds, I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought, ",[40,41,42],"em",{},"I never want to be locked in a place like that!"," I questioned whether I even wanted to go back as a visitor.",[18,45,46],{},"But God's Word won't let me off the hook. \"I was in prison, and you came to visit me,\" Jesus said (Matthew 25:36). \"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners,\" says Hebrews 13:3. \"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity,\" Proverbs 17:17 reminds us.",[18,48,49],{},"After Pentecost, Peter found the courage to stick up for Jesus, and it took him to unexpected places—even to prison himself. When others saw his courage, they could only conclude that he had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).",[18,51,52],{},"It takes courage to stand up for what's right, but it also takes courage to serve those who have done wrong. Some who live behind bars remain unrepentant, while in their brokenness others find a new openness to the gospel. Thank God for those who dare to go behind bars as messengers of grace, setting the captives free.",{"title":54,"searchDepth":55,"depth":55,"links":56},"",2,[],"First Look","2006-11-05","md",null,{},4,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Fa-rare-form-of-courage","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":20},"articles\u002Fa-rare-form-of-courage",[70,71,72],"Biblical Theology","Church Leadership","Spiritual Formation","vrlxGj4j3mXOC27Z1S9Ic9QsMIKUrVl7mTQvGmPtPiU",[75,80],{"title":76,"path":77,"stem":78,"description":79,"children":-1},"A Picture of Hope","\u002Farticles\u002Fa-picture-of-hope","articles\u002Fa-picture-of-hope","Even if \"a picture is worth a thousand words,\" no artist could improve on the fascinating word pictures that appear in the Bible.",{"title":81,"path":82,"stem":83,"description":84,"children":-1},"A Reason to Believe","\u002Farticles\u002Fa-reason-to-believe","articles\u002Fa-reason-to-believe","My friend Vinnie told me he didn’t believe in God.",1790466133987]