BRAVE (@iangblack)

– August 1, 2012Posted in: BigBible

What’s this? #bravescotland trending worldwide on twitter? As a proud Scot this grabbed my attention!

It was of course because of the release of the new Disney Film set in Scotland of title ‘Brave’ –a land of brave people. The film trailer makes it look good fun so I do hope to see it soon. The high profile the film will be a welcome boost to our tourist industry in this most ‘drookit’ and ‘dreich’ (Scots for wet and dreary) of summers (though beautiful in St Andrews today as I write this)

The film title got me thinking about whether ‘brave’ was a word that that could ever possibly summarize an entire people! Are we Scots really braver than any other?! Scotland the Brave goes the anthem!? Any truth there? Dunno, but glad to accept it! (Hey, who wants to be known as a nation of cowards?! ) Clearly we have some debt to Mel Gibson I feel…..

When you watch the trailer you read lots of stirring lines.

“Are you willing to pay the price for freedom will cost?”
‘If you had the chance to change your fate – would you?’

Both lines posing a challenge indicating a truth that bravery requires an active step forward.

As I reflected as to whether the Scots are any braver than any other nation, it dawned on me that whether we always feel like it or not the people of God are called to take that step forward and to be a brave people. Bible verses command it such as

“Be strong and courageous and do it.” (1 Chronicles 28:20) and
“Do not permit yourself to be fearful “John 14:27

As I listened to a talk on the persecuted church the other week it really made me appreciate how brave some Christians are having to be. With a calling to support our brothers and sisters in Christ perhaps today you could be connecting with organisations such as Open Doors or the Barnabas Fund and find out a little more about their work with the persecuted church and find out how to support and pray for them?

Perhaps today God is calling you to be brave in your own life,, to take that step forward and as the praise song goes to ‘be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you’.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you” says God’s word (Hebrews 13:15)

Maybe today is your day to stand fully on that word, to get out of the boat and see that with God’s help you can do it.

In meantime, love to know if the film Brave is worth the watch!

About IanGBlack

@drgeorgemorley

Aha. Yes, this is God’s word to me today. And so many days. Yikes.
Thanks, IanGBlack, for such a well-said reminder. Really enjoyed your post – if not, entirely, the kick up the bum it delivers!
http://twitter.com/IanGBlack Ian G Black

I am at #CLAN2012 today and God’s word for me today was ‘Surrender’. This word clearly goes hand in hand with ‘bravery’ – cant surrender without bravery? Don’t feel too brave today but trying hard to stand on God’s word never to permit fear in my life, nor to dictate any of my decisions and choices. Thanks for your positive feedback
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=656235160 Bex Lewis

I feel very unholy that as I set this post up & watched the trailer, my first thought was, this looks like a great film (I love animations)… Have definitely reached a point in my life to be brave though, although to an area with higher than average number of theologians, rather than persecution area! Good reminder that we are fortunate in this country!
@drgeorgemorley

For me, the word ‘trust’ always goes with the invitation to bravery…
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Jennwith2ns

Voice of the Martyrs is another great organisation working with some of our often braver Christian brothers and sisters.

The movie was good–but not as outstanding as some Pixar films. It taps into the common conflict between mothers and their daughters when the daughters are coming of age, so I could resonate, but my husband really couldn’t.