In which Frog and Toad discuss dragons and giants and where my thoughts went from there ~

I don't think it will ever cease to amaze me how God can speak, not just through His Word, but out of the mouths of babes and through words written to entertain those very same babes...

Elsie Mae and I have been working through a treasury of Frog and Toad stories. We read this one just last week.

"The people in this book are brave," said Toad. "They fight dragons and giants, and they are never afraid."

"I wonder if we are brave," said Frog.

Frog and Toad looked into a mirror.

That's one of those age-old questions, isn't it?

Am I brave?

I'd like to think so, 

but...

I don't necessarily believe it to be true. Too much fear inhabits my actions that might appear brave to others, ultimately inhibiting me and inflicting such a great personal cost - sometimes emotionally, sometimes in other ways. 

Bravery in action isn't so hard to spot - intercepting the punch for a friend, risking others opinions and fighting for the underdog, defending your family or country, taking a stand that demands personal and painful cost are a few examples... 

But just what is it that makes men label another man brave? 

Is it that they have no fear in scary situations? 

Or is it that they are afraid, yet keep moving forward into that scary situation? 

Are they brave because they succeed and accomplish something terribly dangerous and risky? Or are they brave because they know something is terribly dangerous and risky and the probability that they will fail is unreasonably high yet they still go ahead and try and fail - and get up to head right back into the fight, with really no personal gain except the satisfaction of obeying God and doing what is right against all odds?

This brief video, put together by part of the team who works with Exodus Road, follows investigators into a brothel in SE Asia. The video was shot using the same technology Exodus Road helps provide for its local partners as they work first to investigate, collaborate and then to rescue young women from such slavery behind locked doors.

These men live heroic.

Those who work for and with them, directly and indirectly supporting and encouraging them, also live brave.

And in my opinion, many of those trapped women live valiant, lifting their heads and continuing for one more day, hoping and trusting that someone, somewhere, keeps working for their rescue.

Today, what can you do?  

What will you do to encourage and support this team?

You may not ever be asked to darken the doors of a brothel, but could you find a way to support and become a part of these efforts or of new initiatives like this, with the goal of preventing women and girls once rescued from tumbling back into this darkness?

You may not always feel brave, but you can choose to do something brave and to support those brave ones...