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I am doing something outrageous and courageous today! How about you?
Do you have a dream that makes your heart beat a little faster? Does God want you to trust Him and step outside your comfort zone?
I am generally not a brave girl. However, I am learning to ‘do things afraid.’ One step which has encouraged my bravery is studying other people’s heroic actions – Such as the story of Benaiah. His actions are recorded in 2 Samuel 23, and 1 Chronicles 27. There is one line in Samuel’s recording which intrigues me. It causes me to lean in and examine his heroic actions a little closer. Check out this line:
“He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.” 2 Samuel 23:20 (NIV)
Wait, what? Who does that and why? There is an entire book written on this one line. I highly recommend if you want to dig deeper. This post is influenced from a reading of the book nearly four years ago. Click Here for your copy.
For today, let’s look at three quick thoughts from this one verse.
First, we see that Benaiah chose to go into the pit. That thought alone is a whole new level of bravery. If I saw a lion in a pit, I would turn and run the opposite way. How about you? But one translation even reads, he ‘chased’ the lion into the pit. WOW! Talk about someone being outrageously courageous!
Secondly, he was chasing even in less than ideal circumstances. Look at it again, he was pursuing in the snow. I prefer to stay tucked safe at home under a blanket on a snowy day – But not Benaiah. No excuses. He was moving forward no matter what. The bad weather did not keep Benaiah home.
Third, it is recorded that he killed the lion. Perhaps he used his bare hands. Maybe he was walking with a weapon ready to protect himself? The storyline is limited and you have to use your imagination. However, what we do know is he was successful as he was outrageously courageous.
Friend, whatever you are up against today, be outrageously courageous. Be bold. Be brave. Face your battle. Jump into the pit if necessary, chase down your lions and find your victory. It is time to do some things afraid. Let’s be mighty warriors who will be remembered as ones who chased life and were victorious.
I challenge you to be a Benaiah of the twenty – first century.
“Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.” 2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NIV)