When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.
—Daniel 6:10
In typical Chestertonian style, G.K. Chesterton writes, “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. ‘He that will lose his life, the same shall save it,’ is not a piece of mysticism for saints and heroes. It is a piece of everyday advice for sailors or mountaineers. This paradox is the whole principle of courage… A man cut off by the sea may save his life if he will risk it on the precipice.”
Courage is a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. To understand this more clearly, think of two ancient Christians called on to make the profession “Caesar is Lord.” One buckles and is freed. The other, professing “Christ is Lord,” dies a martyr. One may still exist, but which one truly lived?
Courage is a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. It was for desire to live that Hugh Latimer, the English Reformer, cried out to his friend Nicholas Ridley as they were to be burned at the stake, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out.” J.C. Ryle writes of Latimer, “He feared God, and nothing else did he fear. ‘Latimer, Latimer,’ he exclaimed at the beginning of one of his sermons, ‘thou art going to speak before the high and mighty King Henry VIII, who is able, if he think fit, to take thy life away. Be careful what thou sayest. But Latimer, Latimer, remember also thou art about to speak before the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Take heed that thou dost not displease him.’”
What produces such Christian courage? What underlies it? You won’t get the answer by looking at the courage itself. Courage is a secondary thing. C.S. Lewis reminds us, “You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first.” Many men want to be courageous, but when the fire comes they find their hearts cold. This is because they merely wanted to be courageous, but find they have nothing to be courageous about.
Saints, be inspired by Daniel, but not obsessed with him. An obsession with a Daniel is likely a prideful desire to be like Daniel, meaning, to be seen to be like a Daniel. Such aspirations for courage melt like wax in the flame. No, be obsessed with Daniel’s God, the one who took on flesh, acted with perfect righteousness, was crucified for sinners, was buried and placed behind a sealed stone, and rose with victory. If you want to grow in courage, grow in faith. If you want to grow in faith, look to Christ. If you want to see Christ, look to the Word. “[F]aith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Look to the one who rules kings and kingdoms so that the Stone might be seen superior to the statue knowing that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus your Lord.
"for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
—Daniel 6:26–27
No Other Boast 