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The Power of Moral Courage
Boston E. Walch
LDS Business College
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The Power of Moral Courage
“Courage is … the form of every virtue at the testing point.” - C.S. Lewis
I stood and patiently waited for my turn to buy a ticket to ride the train home. This was a
rare day that I was early and had no need to rush. The man in front of me seemed to take more
time than usual. He was finely dressed and had a nice countenance. My first impression of him
faltered when I walked up to the ticket booth and saw “transaction cancelled.” I was surprised by
his choice to pretend to buy a ticket. I watched him shuffle from one foot to the other until his
train came and he walked on, ticketless. That began my research about moral courage. What
makes people decide whether or not to do what is right and lawful despite the consequences?
There is a call for individuals possessing moral courage in our spiritual and personal lives, and
professional lives. I have explored what factors our ethical decisions individually and as a
society According to professor’s, church leaders, and researchers, integrity is invaluable and a
critical part of our individual and united happiness and success.
What makes the difference?
True moral courage must be consistent. It may be easier to demonstrate moral courage in
front of a crowd than to make honest decisions when we’re alone. Or to live a seemingly honest
life and then give into peer pressure occasionally rather than, as my grandmother would say,
doing what you know to be right despite the consequences. So, what drives us to make honest
decisions when the consequences are high? As I researched and pondered I came to feel strongly
about the power of eternal perspective. If we sought to see the bigger picture as we made even
the seemingly insignificant decisions, the right path would be easier to tread. The $250 dollar
fine for riding the train without a ticket seems to be enough incentive to pay the price. But when
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the stakes are high, faith in God is required to have the strength and desire to live His
commandments honorably. Elder Lynn G. Robbins (2014) stated, “Decisions of character are
made by remembering the right order of the first and second great commandments.” Through
loving God and others we become a people of honor and moral courage.
The choice becomes foggy when we are worried about our social, professional, or
political standing. “In September 2014, Rita Jeptoo, Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon
champion, tested positive for the performance enhancing drug EPO. While she denies she did
anything wrong, Jeptoo has recently been banned from racing
for two years” (Cowart, 2015). Jeptoo paid a high price by
illegally enhancing her performance. I’m sure the pressure to be
the best was hot. She may have been up against other racers
making unethical decisions to win. Here we see that what
became most important to her was winning. Perhaps if she had
kept the future in sight she would be racing today. Whether or
not she won or lost, she would be free to progress with an honest
heart. We are choosing our quality of life as we choose to live integrity.
Our decisions also have an effect on our spiritual, physical, and psychological well being.
For example, in law school, students experience a whole new arena of ethical pressures.
Professor Lawrence S. Krieger (2005) found that the majority of law students statistically suffer
an increase in depression. He says, “If you focus your life on growth of self, relationships, and
community, your life will feel meaningful and satisfying. You will avoid the frustration,
confusion, isolation, depression and addictions common to many in our society and our
profession.” Integrity is a key component of good health. As I look around at my fellow students
I notice this very phenomenon. I often witness the crisis that happens to my colleagues and me as
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I work in an academic office. Our courage and selflessness makes all the difference. We can
become obsessed with our own success/failure and with the temporary conditions such as grades
and finance. Whereas, I noticed that more successful students focus on how their education will
help others and what they will take away from their experience. They don’t focus on the failure
aspect, although it does motivate them. It becomes easier to live with integrity and courage rather
than cowardice and fear. We can walk out of a fake shell of perfection towards personal growth
and a positive impact on our society. We receive peace and inspiration through an eternal
perspective.
What is the influence of women of integrity?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson addressed the world in an LDS conference in 2013. He
emphasized the innate moral power of women. He quoted Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “When the
real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping
sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in
homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more
controlling than what happened in congresses?” (Christofferson, 2013). The world is trying to
drown out the moral power of women when that is exactly what it needs to embrace to survive
and thrive. Christofferson tells us not to undervalue the influence of women of integrity. What is
the root of their influence? He reminds women, “Sisters, of all your associations, it is your
relationship with God, your Heavenly Father, who is the source of your moral power, that you
must always put first in your life” (Christofferson, 2013).
A conference called "Time Out For Women” travels across the country to groups of
mostly LDS women. "Time Out For Women” presents keynote speakers who teach about the
woman’s role in the world and inspire them to make a difference. The conference invited Tim
Ballard to address them this past February (2015). He spoke about standing as a light against the
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darkness. Ballard has devoted his career to free children from slavery and trafficking. He
passionately addressed the women about the power and influence that they have, or rather the
light they are/can be to the world. He told a story about one of the “missions” they undertook to
save some children. Some LDS women were a part of the operation. They went in to visit with
the children. Before the children were given any idea that they were about to be saved, the
women had already had an astounding, comforting influence on them. He showed a picture of
these women and children smiling and connecting with each other. It was also taken before the
children knew that these women were a part of the group that would set them free. I remember
the stirring I felt in my heart and the feeling in the room as we thought about our innate moral
power and what a difference we can make. Men and women.
What is the power of united moral courage as a community?
Religious freedom is being attacked on many fronts. The morality of men and women,
the sacred unit of the family, and the integrity of living a Christian life. Elder Lynn G. Robbins,
an influential leader in the LDS church, warned against apostasy, or the “lowering of the Lord’s
standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior” (2013). The LDS and Catholic
churches as well as some other religious organizations have put down past prejudices to stand
together for religious freedom. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput recently gave an address at
Brigham Young University. He said, "As the Founders knew, and we forget at our peril, the
American project of ordered liberty can’t work without the support of a moral people … And
only religious faith can guide and moderate democracy because it appeals to an Authority higher
than democracy itself." We lose our freedom when we devalue our own innate moral power. Not
only is it critical to have personal integrity. It’s crucial to our freedom that we stand for what is
right as a society. Together we have great power and influence on the world and well-being of
it’s people.
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What is the benefit to moral courage in the workplace?
Research is discovering the advantages of ethical business. And an ethical business is
made up of the integrity of it’s leaders and employees. “The ethical position of the leader is to
attempt to serve the stakeholders as best they can, but not at the expense of unethical decisions or
practices” (McCann and Holt, 2008). Jack McCann and Roger Holt did a recent study on the
influence of ethical leadership and organizations. They found that if employees perceive their
leaders as ethical, more than likely they will continue the same standard in their role of the
company. When a company’s foundation supports ethical decisions they have much greater
success and employee satisfaction and are thus able to thrive. “Honesty is the foundation of all
organizations that survive” (McCann and Holt, 2008). They also talked about the influence ethics
had on society at the time the recession became a potential threat. This supports the power of
integrity as a society. I remember my parents discussing their decisions about our house
improvement. All sorts of things would be nice to have such as a fence, a new roof, etc… They
chose to follow the counsel of the prophet to not go into debt for those kinds of things. Because
of this, we were in a stable and safe position when the recession did happen.
What makes the difference?
Those who give into the fear of
immediate consequences suffer in the long
haul. For example the man who cheated his
train ticket was probably only analyzing the
challenge at hand. There was enough incentive
for him to justify being dishonest. He might have made a different choice had he chosen to step
back and look at the big picture. He didn’t seem to acknowledge the influence he would have on
the lives of those around him and his society as a whole. What I really learned about that
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experience is that integrity is not just something we do to stand up in a crowd. It’s very much
about the quiet decisions we make individually. If this nice looking man had thought about
others, his own health, and God, then the choice would have been clear and the way possible.
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the
Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of
men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he
commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7, The Book of Mormon).
As I studied this value I recognized its presence in the people around me and the people I
admire. I learned about the consequences of moral courage, its importance, it’s beauty, and it’s
rippling effect on my life and others. Whatever the pressures may be, public or private, a
political or educational crisis, the consequences of our ethical decisions will follow. They will
influence who we are and become and the influence we have. I learned that even our most
private decisions can empower or hinder the influence we have on my society and freedom. The
dynamic of this life is molded by individual and community decisions. Robbins (2013)
concluded, “May His inspiring example strengthen us against the pitfalls of flattery from without
or of conceit from within. May it give us courage to never cower or fawn at the feet of
intimidation.”
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References
Krieger, Lawrence S. (2005). “The inseparability of professionalism and personal satisfaction:
perspectives on values, integrity and happiness.” Retrieved from;
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.ldsbc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f19ab08cba0f-489d-9f9e-dec3981c5c19%40sessionmgr4004&vid=9&hid=4108
Christofferson, D. Todd. (2013). “The Moral Force of Women.” Retrieved from
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-moral-force-of-women?lang=eng
Cowart, Kim. (2015). “Why integrity in sports matters.” Deseret Morning News
McCann, Jack & Holt, Roger. (2009). “Ethical Leadership and Organizations: An Analysis of
Leadership in the Manufacturing Industry Based on the Perceived Leadership Integrity
Scale.” Journal of Business Ethics 87:211–220 doi: 10.1007/s10551-008-9880-3
Robbins, Lynn G. (2014) Which Way Do You Face? The Ensign, The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints
Walch, Tad. (2015). “At BYU, Catholic archbishop seeks friends, says U.S. liberty depends on
moral people.” Deseret Morning News