W.E.B. DuBois was an educator and civil rights activist.  He was also the first African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard.

Like so many Christians that find themselves dedicated to a cause he prayed for the courage to risk everything. 

Give us grace, O God, to dare to do the deed which we well know cries to be done.  Let us not hesitate because of ease, or the words of men’s mouths, or our own lives.  Mighty causes are calling us—the freeing of women, the training of children, the putting down of hate and murder and poverty—all these and more.  But they call with voices that mean work and sacrifices and death.  Mercifully grant us, O God, the spirit of Esther, that we say:  I will go unto the King and if I perish, I perish.

So many of us fail to be bold and do daring things because we live in fear.  If we are to commit ourselves to the work of Christ and to go into all the world and confront a sinful people with a holy message we will surely be threatened in a number of ways.  Each of us that call ourselves followers of Christ should live free of fear and be willing to risk everything including our lives to do and say what is right.

Written by Larry Westfall.  Copyright © Finding Wonder 2016.