As the climactic ending fight scene begins, there comes a point when a beaten and bruised Daniel wants to quit the match. By this point, he has endured round after round of bumps and bruises, and at several intervals, the bully even gets away with cheating. Daniel looks to his coach and mentor Miyagi and tells him that he wants to give up. Mr. Miyagi then utters these cult classic words, "It's okay to lose to an opponent, but you must not lose to fear." The rest is cinematic history.
How true that pithy statement is, and how interesting that it has stuck with me all these years. In the end, Daniel ends up besting his brutal opponent - but this is just a movie. What about situations like this in real life? The question is an important one. Do we let fear beat us, or do we keep fighting? How we all long for a mentor like Mr. Miyagi when the deck is stacked against us.
I personally believe that fear drives far too much of our lives. It can often govern how we spend our money, where we allocate our time, how we treat other people ... and even whether or not we trust God. So many people elect not to walk the courageous road and stay the course. Instead, they turn to cynicism as a defense mechanism. For example, instead of taking a faith leap and buying a house, someone might simply spend time focusing on all the things that are wrong with the foundation or the real estate company. Maybe the siding is old or the windows need replaced.
The same type of thing occurs when trying to decide whether or not to trust Jesus. People will often cling to cynical arguments about Biblical inconsistencies or point to certain hypocritical people in churches.
But the questions remains: do we give in to fear, or do we take the leap?
The book of Joshua in the Old Testament offers us so much insight into the world of courage versus fear. We may remember that God chooses Joshua to replace Moses as leader of the Israelites, just as they are about to cross over into the Promised land. How about that for some pressure?
Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Be not afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Joshua was understandably nervous and anxious. For one thing, if God is speaking with you directly, then it should give you pause for thought! Second, just think how it would feel to replace one of the most godly leaders in recorded history. It's not okay to lose to fear? Easy for us to say.
There is an excellent story about a man named Caleb in the Old Testament also. He was similar to Joshua in character and poise. Caleb was someone whom Moses had given charge to go out and explore the Promised land I mentioned earlier. He was to return and give Moses an account of what he had seen. What he saw was intimidating at best: Scripture says the land was full of large, strong warriors and well fortified cities. On the face of it, prospects looked grim regarding a successful invasion of this area by God's people. But God had promised this area to the Israelites ahead of time - formidable army or not. This was the same land that Joshua was later to claim for his people. Caleb was one of the few who did not let fear and intimidation sway him from taking what God had promised. He was ready to go, and I suspect he was counter-cultural and probably a bit politically incorrect, even for his day. He chased after God with his whole heart.
Was Caleb afraid like Joshua at first? Maybe. But the thing that these two men had in common, was the fact that they didn't allow fear to take hold and win. The account in the Bible tells us that Joshua went on to lead the people across the Jordan River and into a land 'flowing with milk and honey.' A fearless faith stirs people's hearts, and invites them to follow.
Now I don't believe that having a fearless faith equates to ignoring the costs either. We would do well to heed the warning from Romans 10:2 about having a "zeal not according to knowledge." We don't jump into an empty swimming pool with blinders on, or follow someone based on here say or rumors. It is okay to do your homework first.
If we are going to cultivate a Caleb and Joshua heart, then we need to be listening to God (not just our own opinions and biases). The way to know God of course, is to study the Bible. Absorb its truths, and allow the Spirit to take hold in your life. If our God is a being of infinite goodness, then He is prudent and wise as well. Act according to knowledge whenever possible.
Across the span of all five of the Karate Kid sequels, the protagonist always wins. But the avid film connoisseur will also notice, that Daniel wasn't impervious to intimidation or struggle either. Some of his victories were hard fought, and barely accomplished. He may have been holding the trophy at the end of the film, but he was often banged up and bruised a little bit as well.
And so it may be with you and I. Being fearless requires faith in God, and that faith often comes over time and through a series of difficult events. It is a journey, not just a destination. If we are going to cross the Jordan River, then I'm betting we will also get a little wet. Unless of course God parts the water for us - but either way, courage is required to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. So count the cost, lay out a plan, and face off with the bully. No one leaves the arena with a trophy unless they first walk onto the mat. It doesn't hurt to have an experienced Karate teacher in your corner either. Be not afraid.
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