Today, across the globe, in every nation, big or small, in every major metropolis and in every shantytown village in-between, men, women and children of every race and religion, from the ages of “almost born” to “almost done” are fighting for something. Here in America, millions are fighting to simply make ends meet another month.
They struggle to find a job and they fight to keep their job. Parents wrestle to raise their kids right while their children struggle both to ‘fit in’ and ‘stand out’ at the same time. They suffer much abuse at the hands of bullies, clicks, and peer pressure. Our college students fight to be heard, fight for causes they don’t fully understand - all struggling to find an identity that works for them. Big corporations battle against competitors, fight for more market share and the internal corporate quest for position and power never rests. And during this political season, politicians’ battle amongst themselves for differentiation, they jockey for poll position, and struggle to be both heard and understood. Lobbyists from both sides of any given issue, contend without ceasing, to be heard and favored. Abroad, regardless of nationality, dialect, and religious affiliation or economic status, these same struggles exist. The disenfranchised seek justice, retribution or, have already given up the fight. Single mothers wrestle everyday with fear of the unknown, fear for their children and fight to find something to put in their bellies. Needless to say, there’s a whole lot of fight’in going on. They say it is vitally important to first define and name a problem or an enemy before you can ever hope to address it properly. Which is why I asked the question: WHAT are we fighting for? This article will not address any of the challenges presented above, at least not in a direct and actionable way. No. The intent of this article is to serve as a Spiritual Rally Cry to stir the battle-weary Faithful to pause and reexamine a host of questions. In this context, I ask again, WHAT are we fighting for? Are we fighting for our soul, our children, our Faith or our nation? Are we fighting for our communities, our liberties, the disenchanted or our gifts? Certainly, these are things worth fighting for. An equally important question is WHERE will the battle be fought? The location, the environment, its surroundings and its resources (or lack there of) will greatly influence what will be necessary, mandatory and critical to winning the day. Will the battle be fought at the workplace, in our homes, in our heads or in our hearts? Regardless of the nature or location of the battle, great or small, the following simple statement prevails. The victor wins the battle. The one, whose resolve is most resolute, wins the day. There will be an ‘overcomer’ and it follows that there will be an ‘overtaken. ‘ With this simple truth revealed, it seems to make perfect sense that if we desire to win the battle (whatever it is), we need to make sure we send in the right guy or gal to get the job done. WHO we send into battle is critical, as is the WHEN do we dispatch them. In the movie Braveheart, directed by and starring Mel Gibson, There’s a scene of NOBLE exchange between Sir William Wallace (played by Gibson) and Robert the Bruce. In an attempt to rally the support of Robert the Bruce to the cause of freedom, Wallace faces Bruce and says, “Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country but men don’t follow titles, they follow COURAGE.” Courage. The ability to do something that you know is difficult and probably very dangerous. A synonym discussion of ‘courage’ ‘mettle’ ‘spirit’ ‘resolution’ and ‘tenacity’ means to possess the mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. Sounds like we might be closing in on defining WHO we want to send into battle, so let’s go a bit further. Courage: implies firmness of MIND and WILL in the face of danger or extreme difficulty (i.e.: the courage to support unpopular causes). Mettle: an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience (i.e.: a challenge that will test your mettle). Spirit: suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one’s own or keep one’s morale when opposed or threatened (i.e.: his spirit was unbroken by setback, hard ache and defeat). Resolution: a firm determination to achieve one’s end (i.e.: consider the resolve of Christ and his apostles) Tenacity: adds to resolution with implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to be deterred; not easily stopped or pulled apart; adhering to or seeking something valued or desire. Although we don’t hear these abrasive descriptions of valor, power and strength often from pulpits across this country – ALL are attributes of Christ, his apostles (in the end) and are Attributes of Character that most of our Bible Story heroes and heroines possessed. Valor, simply defined is that possessing courage or bravery. “The strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness: personal bravery.” The true mark of valor is the absence of indecision even in the face of death. By now you are probably asking the last question: WHY. Why is any of this important? Why are you spending so much time stating the obvious – that we all are fighting something? Why is it important to name the enemy and define the battlefield? Why are these attributes of character and the ‘warriors mindset’ important to me? Simple answer? Because YOU are the Warrior you seek to fight your battles. YOU are the one that must stand against the enemy and fight for your kids. YOU are the one that will need the courage and strength to stand resolute in your understanding of God’s promises when the “you know what” hits the fan. And most importantly, for you to succeed, for you to come out the other side victorious – you must have a rock solid, deep understanding and belief in God’s promises and an unwavering revelation about HOW God’s sees you! We all need a deeper, richer and empowering understanding of just WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST. Paul David Tripp, author of Dangerous Callings offers an interesting perspective on identity. According to Tripp, “no one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do. Whether you realize it or not, you are in an unending conversation with yourself, and the things you say to you about you are formative of the way that you live.” This being true, the main battlefield, ground zero and the very front lines of this battle, which is constantly churning, pounding and haunting our thoughts occurs in the war torn landscape between our heads and our hearts. It is here that we need to ensure our defenses are our strengths; it is here that we do not waver in our resolve; and it is here that we must build an impenetrable foundation and understanding of God’s promises to the Faithful. Maturity is about how you live your life. Tripp goes on to point out that “it is possible to be theologically astute and be very immature.” Likewise, “it is possible to be biblically literate and be in need of significant spiritual growth.” Maybe a better question would be: WHO are we living for and WHY? [Like what your reading? There’s more where this came from – deeper studies of scriptural stories in my book, Legacies of Valor – Traits of Character: The Noble & The Notable. Support this blog ministry by ordering a copy of Legacies of Valor today] Friends, it’s great to get feedback and confirmation that I’m not just writing to a black hole – so please - before you leave – take a moment to “like” and “share” these posts with your social network. Together, we can encourage many – one post at a time.
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