Most humans kept their principles in a hazy background while they continued to follow the whims of impulse.”
–Charles A. Seltzer (West!)
“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”
–1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)
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Maybe you’ve noticed in the news all the problems in the last few years with our ships colliding with other ships. Now, come on, what’s up with that? I can understand the occasional occurrence in a crowded harbor, but on the open sea? Something is definitely wrong here; there has to be someone to blame. Sure, sure the captain is the ultimate person. Whatever happens on ship is his ultimate responsibility, but the mistakes were being made someplace else. May I suggest training!
I’m sorry, but boot camp, or basic training is not quite the same as it used to be. The demands are not quite as stringent. Makes me wonder how many wash out during training? Does everybody pass? Some say there are stress days given; but I would say why? If people are under so much stress, why are they not being taught how to handle the stress? Mistakes do happen, but is attention given to detail? I’m not sure what it is, but there is a problem.
Over the years, but especially in the last half dozen or so, I had students tell me, “I’m so stressed out.” I shook my head. How can you be stressed out? You have everything given to you. Perhaps you don’t have your priorities straight, perhaps your attitude is not in the right direction.
In this day of snowflakes, where is the toughness–mental, physical, and spiritual? Be sure and keep a spiritual idea in what follows as well as the physical. Toughness has always been a “must” factor in the life of a military man. Norman R. Oke said this, “Paul considered it [toughness] so essential that he listed it as ingredient number one. He put it bluntly: ‘Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ This toughness is to be both physical and moral; without both of these there can be no Christian soldiering.”
Whether we like it or not, God sends all His new recruits to basic training. This is the place where you learn “the utter necessity for quick obedience–obey God or lose your soul. It is the place to learn that Christian soldiering is not a long summer afternoon lounging in a hammock, but a sweaty climb over an obstacle course. God develops the muscle for the long march; He enable you to find deep delight in Christian discipline.” (Oke)
If Paul understood it, why is the church so soft and in those pews sit a bunch of cupcakes? If you don’t have spiritual toughness there is a chance you’ll not endure in a wicked, temptation-ridden world. Maybe there needs to be some callouses put on “spiritual hands.”
“Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
–2 Timothy 2:3 (RSV)
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I would laugh if this wasn’t so stupid. You have probably heard that ESPN has released one of their sportscasters. Oh, they had good reason–his name was Robert Lee. In our moronic state the media has absolutely gone mad. Add to this the fact, that he is Asian. Where are the outcries of racism?
Folks, this country is in the process of losing its mind and soul. I was looking through some notes and came across this quotation by Jane Healy, “The way people use language is braided together tightly with the way they think.” Or maybe in this case, they don’t think at all.