246 Global Ethics for Leadership
erally regarded as feminine traits, and men who are fearful, of weak
character, or lacking in courage are labelled, without rhyme or reason, as
‘womanly’. Conversely, any woman acting courageously, intrepidly or
steadfastly in a difficult or dangerous situation is seen as ‘manly’.
19.2 The Implications of Courage in Society:
a Contextual Approach
In the biblical texts, as in Yoruba culture, courage is evidently faith
acting out of love. In effect, love rises above risks and dangers. Its love
of the goal being striven for minimizes obstacles such as doubt and fear.
Based, in effect, on faith experiences, on the victories granted us by a
greatly superior being, courage by faith sees the victory as already won
(David and Goliath). Courage sees each setback as a new departure
point on the way to victory. Courage enables people to be confident,
despite all odds, and is an expression of responsibility. It is the opposite
of cowardice and irresponsibility. It is a demonstration of humility, con-
fidence, patience, hope, perseverance and determination.
Day by day, we are engaged in a struggle against ourselves, other
people, and the course of events. We are constantly being assailed: on
the mental level, by adversity, jealousy, absurdity and meaninglessness;
on the moral level, by shortcomings, guilt, and disobedience; and on the
physical level, by illness, suffering and death. In one way or another,
believers must count first on their faith in God, on their own, or others’,
previous experience of God so as to have courage.
We have already seen how courage combats, first of all, our fears,
our nervousness, doubts and inner weaknesses, by overcoming them and
rising above them before reaching actual physical combat. It is a matter,
principally, of not burying one’s head in the sand, of not running away
from reality, but of assessing the extent of the problem and its conse-
quences.