The chips are down, do you have the courage to carry everyone forward?

You invest with a friend; the deal goes south.

As the initiator of the deal, what do you do? Do you “go dark” and avoid contact? Do you try to fix the situation by yourself and pray to God that you can outrun the problem? Or do you look your buddy in the eye and say, “Here’s what’s up, it’s not good, and you should prepare for the worst?”

As the friend who got brought in, how do you respond? Do you tell your friend to go pound salt? Do you blame him for “costing you” and threaten to get even? Do you tell him you appreciate his honesty then walk away? Or do you laugh, saying, “Well, we’re gonna take a helluva coupla tax write-offs this year,” and then ask, “OK, let’s move forward. What next?”

Courage is one of those things we all love to claim we have… but heaven forbid we ever need to show it, right? Because that would mean we’re caught in a tough situation, with our back against the wall, afraid out of our minds. If we’re not facing a tough problem, we don’t require courage to move forward.

Courage-testing situations are unfortunately, playing out all around us, sometimes on a big scale. How are the people you know handling them? Do you see people rising to the occasion? Or are they bringing out their worst? Are friendships deepening or dissolving?

Chances are, before this financial challenge is over, you’ll be tested, too. Some of you will—in the name of “protecting yourself”—will act selfishly, cowardly. You will hurt others for the hope of a few extra bucks that, in the long run, won’t matter one way or another, or you’ll try to lay your problems at another’s feet, seeking solace in your ability to blame. Others of you—I hope the majority of you—will respond differently. You’ll look forward. You’ll remember to breathe. You’ll give a loved one a little extra squeeze. You’ll know that others have that same knot in their stomach as yourself, and you’ll show them the same compassion you seek in return… and you’ll give it whether you get it in return or not, because that’s the right thing to do.

Tell the truth now, are these times bringing out the best in you? Are you lending a helping hand? Are you looking out for others even when they don’t know it, or have anything to offer in return?

I’m lucky. I’m friends with some great, great people. True human beings, they know what’s important, and they are earning my respect more every day as I watch them face a world of ugly with grace, optimism, and nerve. I’m sorry for what some of them are  going through. But let’s face it: what they’re being stripped of, they can’t take with them anyway.

What they’re finding themselves made of, however, we’ll all carry with us, always.

Jason Seiden is Co-founder and CEO of Ajax Social Media, a training company that shows professionals how use social media to work more effectively.