We fear losing two things more than any other.

We fear losing two things more than any other: our job and our life.

In our efforts to protect those two things, the question is raised: are we using them in the first place?

Never let them intimidate you

In a time when the Church forbade translating the Bible into English, William Tyndale, known as the "Father of the English Bible," set out to make it accessible to all.

Harrowing escapes and smuggling operations were Tyndale's mode of life in his last years as he sought to make the Bible accessible to more people.

The betrayal of a close friend eventually led to Tyndale's arrest. He endured one and a half years in prison, facing trial for heresy and, in the end, a grim fate. On October 6, 1536, he was strangled and burned at the stake.

The wrong questions

Courage is about asking questions, but which questions you're asking matter.

"But what's in it for me?" or "But what will happen to my current status if I speak out?" are the wrong questions.

Instead, we must be strong enough to ask, "But what if everyone acted this way?" or "What if the driving force for everyone was not selfishness but equality and love?"

What kind of world would that be?

Fear turns us into what Winston Churchill called one of his political opponents: the "Boneless Wonder." The fear of sticking out. The fear of losing something. The fear of offending.

So we cower, compromise, and conceal.

Nobody wants to be pushed out, torn apart, or driven into isolation. But at what cost? As you face the temptation to step back, ask yourself if it is preferable to stand tall in a mud puddle or lick your boots in the parlor. (Thank you, W. E. B. Du Bois, for that elicit imagery.)

Tyndale's sacrifice bore fruit.

Three years later, King Henry VIII mandated English copies of the Bible in every parish church, ensuring widespread access to the Scriptures.

You likely own a Tyndale Bible of your own.

You certainly benefit from him.