Courage and Discretion

What would you rather be known for - courage or discretion? For that matter, which would you rather have more of? And before answering, you astutely point out that one can quite well be known for both. You also chastise my sloppy syntax with its prepositional terminus.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Just humor me.

The thing about discretion is that artful use of it can preclude the necessity of future courage. In other words, if someone is prudent enough to avoid the possibility of calamity or failure, the need for future courage is greatly diminished. The man who portages around the rapids is assured of a sound canoe and dry gear and need fear neither the eddy nor the evening spent in damp underwear.
Conversely, the man lacking discretion plunges ahead and in doing so must conjure up the courage to deal with his imprudence. He must also sheepishly ask to borrow his friend's dry underwear. Another act that takes guts. Courage necessarily precipitates the need for continued courage.

Courageous behavior also tends to propel a person into situations that also demand increased discretion. In this way, derring-do can provide great opportunities to practice circumspection.
And perhaps this is the link you tried to make earlier: Discretion is at its best in the context of courage. Nervy prudence develops in some correlation with audacity.

For as long as I can remember, I have consistently specifically prayed for wisdom, meaning discretion. And I am beginning to think this prayer may have been mostly motivated by the hope that its answer would ensure some insulation from mistakes.
But true wisdom is not a ticket to avoiding the possibility of misfortune. Rather a widsom rooted in the fear and trust of God will only increase one's likely exposure to risk, adversity, and the label of "idiot." See the folks memorialized in Hebrews 11.

I don't plan on making this blog a diary-like confessional for all my anxieties and epiphanies, but at times it's probably alright to share "a moment." I'll keep begging God for more wisdom, but I hope that wisdom includes a healthy dose of intrepidity.