A Scriptural Consideration Entry

The wind kicked up dust along the barren path. Obadiah glanced behind him, his heart pounding—not out of fear of the king he served, but of the God he worshipped. Each footstep echoed a decision that could cost him everything. Yet hidden in a cave, a hundred prophets waited, fed and cared for by this man of quiet bravery. Why? Because “from his youth,” he had feared Jehovah.

—1 Kings 18:3-4, 12

Obadiah wasn’t a prophet or a soldier. He wasn’t known for fiery confrontations or thunderous miracles. He served in the corrupt court of Ahab, a place drenched in idolatry and stained by the influence of Queen Jezebel. But behind palace walls, he quietly protected Jehovah’s prophets, risking his life with every meal he smuggled, every secret he kept. His loyalty wasn’t loud—but it was unwavering.

—1 Kings 16:30-33; 18:13

Henri, a modern-day Obadiah, served faithfully in a land where our work was banned. He wasn’t outgoing by nature. But when spiritual famine threatened his brothers, Jehovah gave him the strength to act. Like Obadiah, Henri feared God more than man. And so he found courage he never thought he had.

—Isaiah 41:10; Acts 5:29

Not every test of loyalty comes in the form of persecution. For some, it’s choosing honesty when dishonesty is rewarded. For others, it’s quietly caring for an ailing family member, week after exhausting week, while clinging to the hope that Jehovah sees. Courage isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it looks like slipping a spiritual magazine to a neighbor. Or being the one who keeps the Zoom room open when no one else shows up. Or standing alone in faith at school or at work.

—Hebrews 6:10; Galatians 6:9

Courage, then, is born from fear—not of people, but of disappointing the One we love most.

“Your servant has feared Jehovah from his youth.” This wasn’t a boast. It was a declaration of priority. Obadiah feared Jehovah more than death, more than kings, more than silence. That kind of fear builds courage quietly, deeply, and permanently.

—Psalm 112:1,7

And if Jehovah could use a shy man named Henri—or a court official like Obadiah—he can use you. Not despite your personality, but through it.

—2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Jehovah does not require loudness. He requires loyalty.

—Micah 6:8

Watchtower citation: The Watchtower, June 2023, pp. 16–17, ¶9, 11