Brothers In The Fight

 

"When I get home people'll ask me, 'Hey Hoot, why do ya do it man?  Why?  You just some kind of war junkie?  I won't say a goddamn word.  Why?  They won't understand.  They won't understand why we do it.  They won't understand that it's about the men next to you, that's all it is.

Master Seargent Norm "Hoot" Hooten, 1SFOD-D 

It's a common phrase we hear a lot these days.  Life is tough.  In fact, in order to make it, you need to be tougher.  As a Christian, I've come to realize through the years that just because I'm a believer in Jesus in no way means that my life is going to be easy peazy lemon squeezy.  In fact, we're never promised that rose garden in our lives.  As believers, we're told that life will bring us it's share of problems {John 16:33}.  So what are we as believers to do when the world seems to be throwing everything it has at us?  Well, first we need to ascertain the root of the issue.  Is God somehow upset with us and using our life circumstances as punishment?  If you are someone who subscribes to the traditional mainstream church theology, then you might believe this to be quite true.  However, if we trust in scripture we know that the very true nature of our Lord is one of love {1 John 4:8}.  Are we to believe that God loves us enough to backhand us every now and then?  Many Christians might adhere to the belief that God, acting like a human parent, would at times use His tough love in order to get us in line.  I see this as more church theology speak.  However, if we listen to the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians, we learn that the root of our troubles here on earth might just be from a source we have come to know all too well.  For our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces of evil in the heavens {Ephesians 6:12}.  Yes, the very same one who presented to us his lies in the garden also continues his trend in our day to day lives as well.  It would seem that Satan, our accuser, is a very busy dude.  Don't get me wrong, when it comes to making bad choices and giving into the wiles of the accuser, we humans win the prize every time.  But there is another way.  What if we were to approach life from the standpoint of KNOWING that there will be conflict?  What if, knowing this, we prepared ourselves beforehand by understanding that our Lord, who never changes, is the one safe refuge we have in this life?  Seems to me we might therefore save ourselves some trouble.  

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.  Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, NKJV 

A good friend of mine recently offered an apology for enticing me into a situation.  I was quick to remind him that the choice to engage in said situation was mine and mine alone.  With all of the negativity in the world around us, it is paramount to our well being that we have by our side a few brothers in the faith who stand on the battlefield with us.  I am blessed to have such brothers on my team.  Yes, there have certainly been times where they have said things to me that were uncomfortable for me to hear in the moment, but it has never been out of malicious intent.  Rather, much of my spiritual growth in the Lord can be attributed to this loyal band of Christian brothers I have come to know and love.  My own realization of the verification of the words of Paul and the indwelling Christ in me was also introduced to me by one of these men.  I know that whatever the case, I can always count on them to give it to me straight with no BS involved.  How blessed is the man who has a circle of friends such as this in his life.  Each one knowing in his heart that it is not God who is angry and punishing their brother in the Lord.  Each one knowing that together they can withstand the attack of the accuser.  We are...brothers in the fight.  

In Whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus. 

Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~