What do we really have to offer Christ when he returns, beyond the quiet courage of lives shaped by his love?
Life moves in one direction, from beginning to end, from first breath to final rest. Along that path, none of us are spared difficulty. Faith does not remove sorrow, fear, or loss. What it gives is something far rarer: hope rooted in Jesus Christ. Without that hope, life would often feel empty and overwhelming. With it, even suffering is framed by meaning and promise.
That hope reshapes how we live. Jesus asks his followers to care for one another, to notice the vulnerable, and to reflect his love in practical ways. When Christ returns, we will not present him with achievements or status. What we will have to show is whether, in some small way, we have mirrored his compassion. Even in his final moments, Jesus was thinking of others. That concern for brothers and sisters defines faithful discipleship.
Courage plays a vital role in this calling. It is not always dramatic or public. Scripture shows this clearly in the example of Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives. They were ordinary women placed in an extraordinary moral crisis. Ordered to destroy life, they chose instead to fear God and protect the helpless. Their decision put them at risk, yet God saw their hearts and acted on their behalf. Their courage was not reckless defiance, but faithful obedience shaped by reverence for God.
Their actions remind us that courage grows out of faith. It is not the absence of fear, but the choice to do what is right despite it. Most of us will never face commands as extreme as theirs, yet we are often tested in quieter ways. We may be pressured to compromise truth, to remain silent when good should be defended, or to value comfort over conviction. These moments still matter deeply to God.
Scripture calls us to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to care for the poor and needy, and to stand apart from what we know is wrong. Such faithfulness is precious in God’s sight. We live in a time of relative freedom, and that freedom is an opportunity to prepare our hearts. By nurturing faith now, we are being shaped for whatever lies ahead.
When Jesus does return, may he see in us something of his own character: lives marked by faith, love, and the quiet courage that chooses obedience even when the cost is real.