Courage versus Control

Courage is a tremendous character trait. A person with courage is confident and is willing to take calculated risks. Courage is necessary for leading. God tells Joshua to be courageous because he was the next leader after Moses.
Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Unfortunately, some leaders become overly confident in their own abilities and use it to control those around them. The corrupt kings of the Bible used fear and intimidation to control the people they should have been serving. Control has a very subtle way of sneaking in to our lives. It starts out just being helpful. It ends up taking a person’s free will away.

Is there a person in your life that has shifted from courage to control?
Do you ever make that shift?

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