Like A Good Soldier

In the first book I published, I made a controversial statement that I felt like we (my wife and I) were at war. It wasn’t meant to be a reference to race relations or to our country’s military stance. I was referring to both a specific personal situation highlighted in the book confirmed by several biblical references (Ephesians, Corinthians, and Romans to name a few) by the Apostle Paul. He used military terminology throughout all of his writings. It was not because he was a soldier but more likely because of his understanding of the predicament he found himself in. There was a power struggle between life and death, between heaven and hell and he was at the heart of it. Still he encouragingly uttered these words that I’ll never forget.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Prayerfully, those are words I and we will someday utter as well.

Words like battle, struggle, and war are used as hyperbole at times but recent events in our world seems to validate the terms’ applicability. We are seeing something deep, powerful, and cutting that almost resembles a powderkeg of sorts. What word would you use to describe it? In the NFL and NBA, players talk about going to war with their brothers and winning the “battle”. Musicians talk about overcoming the “struggle”, starting from the bottom but now finally reaching the pinnacle. Those adversely affected by illness speak of “victory” and rising above their circumstances.

Today, however, is a part of a profoundly new whole where music, sports, art, politics, and life in general converge together intertwined in the taut and twisted binds of the human experience. Despite popular belief, we are all human and have more in common than we have differences.

Let me let you in on a little secret. This might be the line that blows your mind. You may not ascribe to Christianity as a faith or you may not even believe in God at all. You may think of angels and devils, swords and dragons, and heaven and hell as story time reading. You may think you got this life thing down pat. Perhaps you don’t need a barometer for your behavior, moral standards, or decision making. Whether that describes you or not, we’re still in this together indeed. You may have put your weapon down and chosen to surrender to a certain mindset on the path to least resistance but if you are a human being, you are indeed in this war as well. How so?

Have the recent protests and the video of George Floyd’s death hasn’t stirred up some first time thoughts and emotions or some that you haven’t felt or experienced in a while? Never had to motivate yourself to get out of bed and go to work? Ever had a friend or relative that deeply hurt you and you still struggle with forgiveness? How about that co-worker that keeps attacking and undermining you but you’ve done nothing to them? Ever became so angry that you thought you would hurt someone or go crazy restraining yourself? These are evidence of the battle and they are won in the mind first and foremost. Change our minds and we change our trajectory.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13 NIV)

Right now, on the streets of nearly every city, flesh and blood are fighting against flesh and blood. To what end? Would removing one authority figure resolve a systemic problem? It’s the difference between using medicine to treat a symptom rather than addressing the root cause for the symptom.

Here’s an amusing story that might help bring clarity. My favorite basketball team, the New York Knicks has been atrocious for nearly 48 years now. In sports time, that’s a lifetime. (I’m older than their last success!) The “normal” response for decades of ineptitude such as this is to remove the head coach. Rarely does that solve this level of problem. Small problems may warrant small solutions but larger ones require a bit more. The key issue with this franchise lies in ownership. Bad culture, bad morale, bad coaching hires, bad drafting, bad decision making, so you eventually get bad play on the court and bad results in the win-loss column. Removing one personnel only works if that person alone was responsible for these bad decisions. (New York Giants, this applies to you too!) If the key decision maker with final say keeps getting it wrong (i.e. doing the same things expecting a different result), that trickles down to the rest of the organization then mayhem and mediocrity are the result. But if that key decision maker who makes the rules and sets the standards either changes their mind and adopts a new approach or are removed from their ability to make these decisions, that signals dramatic and authentic change and a different trajectory towards a winning and successful organization. To sum it up, those who have influence (like James Dolan) have to change their mind or be removed if real change is going to take place. Same applies here.

We are indeed in an epic battle and it affects us and generations after us. How it plays out affects and shapes the minds of our sons and daughters, law creation and law enforcement, future communities and economic conditions, and the overall health and prosperity of the country. The way we think determines ability to prosper.

The Apostle used the term “fellow-soldier” to describe two very trusted allies and brothers. (Philippians 2:25, Philemon 1:2). He made a declaration on what behavior should stem from a truly transformed life, civilly, morally, and socially. (Romans 12:1-2) He reminded us that we have a common enemy and that at the end of the day, we are members of one another and have a daily responsibility to walk in unity and holiness. (Ephesians 4:23-27) He teaches us that we have to fight for our minds and not concede even our thoughts to adversaries. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

The terminology is clear. The indications are undeniable. This isn’t like playing a sport for a trophy or a larger contract with guaranteed money. This isn’t winning a race to receive a medal made of gold. This is life and death. Not on streets filled with broken glass and tear gas. At the end of the day, it comes down to you and your mind. Especially through adverse times like these. We have victory but we must still cross the finish line. We can’t afford to fall asleep. We must respond as if we are awakened. We must stand for righteousness and justice no matter who requires it. We must stand for those that cannot and be a voice for those that have none. We must shine as the lights of this world when everything seems to be a little too dark.

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV)

Please receive these additional words of encouragement and affirmation for a time such as this.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV)

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. (I Corinthians 9:24-26 NLT)

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2 NKJV)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 NLT)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)