Whenever I think of the word “courage”, I think of the cowardly lion from “The Wizard of Oz.” He really had courage all along. He was frightened, but when Dorothy needed him the most, he stood his ground and was there for his friend. I believe that God asks for His children to be brave, courageous, and strong. He doesn’t want us to get into fights and battles. He just wants us to be willing to stand up for what we believe is right. He wants us to be true to ourselves.
I saw a documentary about a sports star who is transgender and had sexual reassignment surgery. Struggling with sexual identity is something I had to do, but not to the point that this person did. When I see people like this person, who have the courage to stand up for who they are knowing that many people in the world aren’t going to accept them, I feel love for them. I may not understand the path that they are on. I can’t judge their behaviors or actions. However, this person is a child of God who is just asking the world to accept them for who they are. And whether or not I agree with the politics or whatever else, God commands that I love my brothers and sisters in Christ as I would myself.
If I stood in front of the world showing everyone who I was asking them to accept me, I would want my brothers and sisters to put the politics and everything else aside and to just accept me as another human being who should be loved.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
