Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval.

"Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval." — Thomas S. Monson

Thus spoke Thomas S. Monson, the gentle prophet and servant of faith, whose words shone not in thunderous command but in the quiet strength of conviction. In this single sentence, he captures a truth as old as conscience itself: that courage, not comfort; conviction, not concession; wins the favor of Heaven. He reminds us that divine approval does not rest upon those who yield to the pressures of the world, but upon those who stand firm in truth, even when the winds of opposition howl against them. To walk with God, he teaches, is not to bow to convenience, but to rise in courage, for only the steadfast heart earns the smile of eternity.

In every age, mankind has faced the temptation to compromise — to trade integrity for acceptance, to dilute truth for peace. It is a subtle and dangerous path, for compromise wears the mask of wisdom. It whispers, “Do not offend, do not resist, go along and avoid the storm.” But Monson knew that such a peace is hollow, for it is built on surrender. Courage, by contrast, demands cost — the willingness to be alone, to stand against mockery, to choose the right when the wrong is easier. Courage is not loud, but unyielding; it is the quiet resolve to hold one’s ground when every voice says “yield.” This, he says, is what brings “the smile of God’s approval” — the divine joy in seeing His children choose truth over comfort, faith over fear.

The history of the world is the story of those who understood this truth. Consider Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who stood against the tide of evil in Nazi Germany. When the Church was tempted to compromise with tyranny, to bow for safety, Bonhoeffer refused. He spoke truth where silence was demanded, love where hatred ruled. His courage cost him his life — but in that sacrifice, he gained eternity. Monson’s words echo such examples: the approval of the world is fleeting, but the approval of God is everlasting. For though compromise may save the body, it destroys the soul; and though courage may break the flesh, it purifies the spirit.

Even in the scriptures, this divine law stands unshaken. Daniel, when ordered to worship the king’s image, chose instead to pray to his God — and was cast into the den of lions. Yet the lions did not touch him, for Heaven honors the brave. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when commanded to bow before gold, chose fire over compromise — and in the flames, they met the presence of God Himself. So too, Monson calls upon the faithful of our own time to remember that the path of righteousness has never been without peril. The smile of God shines not upon the fearful, but upon the faithful.

Courage, in this sense, is not mere daring or defiance. It is moral strength — the power to act according to one’s divine convictions even when such action invites scorn. It is born from faith, for faith gives the heart its spine and the soul its anchor. Compromise, on the other hand, is often the child of fear — fear of rejection, fear of pain, fear of standing apart. But when one’s compass is fixed upon truth, fear loses its power. The one who walks in integrity may walk alone for a time, but never without divine company. As Monson would have it, when the courage to be faithful surpasses the desire to be popular, that is when the soul truly pleases God.

In modern times, courage may not always demand martyrdom, but it still demands resolve. It is the student who refuses to cheat when others do, the worker who speaks against dishonesty in his trade, the parent who teaches truth when the world teaches indulgence. These acts, small in the eyes of men, are mighty in the eyes of Heaven. For courage is not measured by the magnitude of the moment, but by the purity of the motive. Every time one resists the temptation to compromise principle for convenience, the heavens take note — and, as Monson so beautifully says, God smiles.

So, my listener, take this teaching as a flame to carry through your days: Do not compromise what is eternal for what is temporary. Let your heart be steadfast, your voice clear, your conscience unbroken. When fear whispers, answer it with faith; when pressure mounts, meet it with principle. Remember that the applause of men fades like smoke, but the approval of God endures forever. The world may mock the faithful, but Heaven crowns them.

For in the end, as Thomas S. Monson declared, “Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval.” It is not the easy path, but it is the sacred one. Walk it with faith, speak truth with love, and live so that when your days are done, you may hear the words that every soul longs for: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And in that eternal moment, you shall know that the smile of God is upon you — radiant, everlasting, and worth every trial endured in the name of courage.