Towards Excellence

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Mandela

When I was about 5 years old, my mom and I went to visit my grandma. And to make an impression on her, I decided to walk to her house by myself. For a little girl, it was a somewhat long path from the main entrance to where the house was located. As I smiled and observed the trees and flowers around me, excited because my grandma would think I had arrived by myself – according to my imagination – suddenly, that joyful face turned into distress and great fear. It was because two big dogs who didn’t know me grabbed my small elbows with their mouths and literally escorted me, almost like a prisoner, to my grandma’s house. All of this while I shouted loudly, “Help me, grandma, help me.” Well, in the midst of the scene of barking, almost dog bites, and screams, my grandma and other relatives came to my rescue.

I’m not sure if this story shows courage in any way. In reality, in my adulthood, I am still afraid of dogs, albeit less so. And I always try to stay away from especially unknown ones.

Nevertheless, with this candid story, I aim to illustrate ‘the power of fear’ and how this power can be overcome.

If I had probably succumbed to the fear of the moment and had stayed paralyzed without saying or doing anything, those dogs might have attacked me with even greater force, and I might not have received the necessary help at the right time.

But in life, we face situations that are more complex and provoke fear, and often even terror.

Let me ask you a couple of questions

• Have you ever felt fear?
• What causes you fear?
• How do you act when facing a specific fear?

Well, if your answer was affirmative to the first question, let me tell you that absolutely everyone, all human beings, face fears, to a lesser or greater extent. We all experience fear in certain circumstances. Yes, perhaps some are simpler than others, but it’s fear, nonetheless.

And to illustrate this theme even further, let me briefly refer to the story of a man greatly admired in the world of leadership, Nelson Mandela. As you have probably read, Nelson Mandela fought vigorously against racial segregation in South Africa. The well-known ‘Apartheid’ system (1948-1994) in South Africa established that people of color (the vast majority) lived in separate areas from those occupied by the ruling minority, that is, those of white race, especially Europeans. The colored population was highly oppressed during these years.

Mandela spent 27 years in prison. From a very young lawyer, he began his struggle against the ‘Apartheid’ system, seeking maximum justice and social equality. This ‘rebellion,’ as many labeled it, brought him dire consequences – prison – and everything that comes with it, including very adverse conditions.

After Mandela was released, he continued negotiations to finally end the ‘Apartheid’ system, and shortly thereafter, he was democratically elected as the first president of South Africa.

I invite you to investigate and delve into the story of this great man and leader, who certainly did not look out for himself but for the needs of an entire nation. Regardless of his own adversities and great fears in the midst of the battle, he did not rest from fighting for the freedom and equality of an entire people, during his imprisonment and even after his freedom was achieved.

Mandela surely experienced great moments of uncertainty, desolation, and great fear. We have much to learn from his great example of courage amid great adversity, as he himself expressed: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

And with certainty, there are many fears we can feel and experience throughout life. Fear in family relationships, fear of a medical diagnosis, fear in work relationships, fears of all kinds.

But perhaps the universal fear that a large part of the world’s population experiences is the fear of death. Have you ever felt fear of dying? Are you afraid of not knowing exactly where you’re going and what will happen to you after death?

Let me tell you that there is someone who bravely conquered death, and that brave one is called Jesus, who certainly died on the cross with one purpose: to bear the sin of humanity and give freedom to all who believe in Him and decide in faith to surrender their lives under His lordship and authority, desiring a new life free from the condemnation of sin and free from accusations. A life filled with harmony and peace that fulfills its purpose on this earth and longs to reunite with its Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ, in eternal life.

Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). If you believe this and decide to accept this truth – that Jesus is the resurrection and the life – and surrender your life to Him in faith, desiring a new life in freedom and peace, then there is nothing to fear. Not even the terror of death has the power to haunt you once you decide to accept the Author of life, Jesus Christ. He, with certainty, will go before you, opening a path through the obstacles that will inevitably arise at every step, but with Jesus, you will have the power to overcome them all, if only you make this decision and remain obedient to Him, following the manual of life that Jesus Himself has left us – the Bible, His Word.

So, not even the fiercest dogs, prisons, the terror of death, or anything that causes you fear will have power over you if, from this very moment, you bravely surrender your life to Jesus Christ, the only true God who promises to accompany and guide you every day of your life.

If you have questions about this and want to know how to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, do not hesitate to contact us.