By David Hegg

Long before Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion walked the yellow-brick road, society has understood the absolute necessity of courage. This essential virtue speaks to the willingness to stand firm against opposition, and even advance in the name of all that is good and right.

Courage is that strength of character that fights compromise while never underestimating the necessity of compassion. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the overwhelming sense of right that channels fear into positive action, toward the necessary goal. And, we must realize that, ultimately, courage is the fruit of a radical commitment to all that is right and good, and especially, to truth.

And yet, even the most courageous of us can weaken in the face of the consequences of courageous action. Often, we believe that courageous action, taken in defense of the truth, may so damage a relationship that the best plan is just to “go along to get along.” But all too often, failure to act courageously exacerbates the underlying problem and takes us down a path where good options become fewer and fewer.

We see this in so many areas of life. The failure to take courageous action........

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