She fought for her conviction.
In 1425 a teenage girl rose from obscurity to fight for what she thought was a mission from God. She was born to Isabell de Vouthon and Jacques d’Arc. Around the age of 13 Joan began hearing voices and seeing bright lights which she interpreted as signs from God.
When Joan was about 16 years old she traveled to Vaucouleurs, a stronghold of the French dauphin. There she told the captain of the Garrison about the voices she had been hearing believing they were Christian saints telling her to aid Charles the uncrowned king of France. The captain of the Garrison sent her home disbelieving she was told anything by God. She returned the following year more determined than ever and they agreed to allow her to see the dauphin at Chinon. Dressed in men’s clothes she reached the castle and was granted an audience in February 1429. Charles VII hid himself among the people of his court but Joan immediately picked him out and informed him of her divine mission. Because of the dire straits of the uncrowned king and the political atmosphere of the country, the theologians and potentates told Charles he would be well advised to make use of this girl. In April 20, 1429 Charles furnished Joan with a small army and she set out for Orleans which had been besieged by the English since October of the previous year. Although Joan never carried a weapon or killed any enemies but she was allowed to carry the banner for the Army and was instrumental in the strategic planning and attacks on the city of Orleans. She personally led the charge in several battles and was actually shot with an arrow on May 7, 1429. She dress the wound and return to the battle and on May 8, 1429 the English retreated from city of Orleans and in July of the same year Charles VII was crowned king of France with Joan of arc kneeling at his feet.
In May 20, 1430 still fighting the English and their allies the Bourguignon, Joan was captured by some soldiers and sold to the English. She was tried for heresy and witchcraft and convicted. Joan signed confession admitting to heresy because she wore men’s clothing and cut her hair off when she was serving in the Army. This was unacceptable by the clergy of the time and they demanded she change her ways. She was imprisoned, and because she was a maiden she feared of being attacked by the men running the prison who were making rude comments to her, she donned her men’s clothes back on for protection, for which she was retried and re-convicted and burned stake on May 30, 1431 in Rouen, France.
Joan had done exactly what she had set out to do having Charles VII crowned the king of France. More importantly she fought for the conviction that she was under because of the voices she heard and the visions she saw. But it wasn’t until 1920 that Joan of Arc was canonized by the Catholic Church.
I guess I have taught this whole history lesson just to bring out one fact, billions of people prayed to God every day and it’s deemed proper and acceptable, but if God should answer and talk back to us we are considered crazy. The historians of today have put many labels on Joan of Arc, such as, bipolar, migraine headaches, poisoned by raw milk which she drank every day after she milked the cows.
We have grown so cynical in this day and age that not only don’t we believe that God will speak to us, we don’t believe in miracles of any kind. The people who have experienced them are true believers, and people who are familiar with the Word of God are believers. The Bible also tells us we will always have skeptics and cynics in our midst. My question is this what convictions do you have that you’re willing to die for?
As parents it is important for us to teach our children to stand up for what we believe in, and don’t let the crowd persuade us because of their own cynicism. Of course the best way to do that is by example, and by also giving them examples in the Bible and in history.
We as authors can make heroes out of anyone, but true heroes are hard to find. It would be nice to find heroes of today that we could bring into the light, so our kids can have someone to look up to, who have died for the cause of Christ and their convictions.
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
II Timothy 2:3-4
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6:13-20