What does it take to be brave these days? And why be brave? Children lead throughout the Bible in all kinds of scary situations, giving us courageous imaginations for bravery in our own times.
Every March we celebrate Lutheran Schools Week because there are over 1,200 ELCA schools and early learning centers teaching our children to be brave, generous and faith-filled. Our theme this year is bravery, based on examples of children whose heroic stories are scattered throughout the testaments.
Take Miriam, who was not much older than her baby brother Moses when he was floating toward certain death on the Nile. She sees Pharaoh’s daughter rescue Moses and offers to find her a wet nurse for the child. Because of Miriam, not only is Moses saved from drowning but his mother continues to nurse him and even gets paid for it. Later Moses will go to live in Pharaoh’s house and eventually free the Israelites from slavery (Exodus 2:1-8).
When children are involved in practices that connect them to the holy, their bravery deepens. But what constitutes bravery for one kid might look different for another and perhaps even change as they get older. When my children were young and first met their uncle, who had cerebral palsy, they were afraid of him. Most of his teeth were missing, his hands were curled up and his knees knocked, which made it difficult for him to walk and talk. As my children got older and spent more time with him, they understood his disability better. They were able to hug him, write him cards and reciprocate the words “I love you.”
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Love sometimes invites bravery. The way Miriam lovingly looked after her brother meant that not only would he survive but also the Israelites. Sometimes we may need to practice being brave when we encounter people who are different from us, like my kids getting to know their uncle.
Practices
- Go outside and listen to the birds. Consider using the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Merlin Bird ID app or something similar. Discuss how brave birds are to migrate. Then perhaps talk even more about how brave it is when people migrate/immigrate.
- Read a picture book about bravery such as Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate, and illustrated by Loren Long.
- Practice being brave. As a family, do a thorough inspection of the children’s bedroom during the day. Use a flashlight (even during the day) or bring along a stuffed animal. Repeat this process at bedtime so that the flashlight/animal helps children feel brave in their room day or night.
