John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher and political economist from the 1800’s once wrote, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse.” (Mill, 1868) Mill goes on to explain the difference between a war that degrades men, and one that honors them. A degrading war is one in which generals use the men like instruments to implement their own desires. An honoring war is one where men fight to “protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice.” Mill is absolutely correct in his definition of wars. While war is messy, violent, and brutal, a faithful Christian will understand the importance and necessity of waging
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Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Since the beginning of time, God has used those appearing weak, impaired, and disabled to win for his victory. He used Moses, a man with a speech impediment, to speak to the great Pharaoh. He used Paul, a man with a “thorn in his side,” to bring good news to many people. He used David, a young shepherd boy, to defeat the giant soldier Goliath. Over and over God used the underdog to bring victory. Christians may feel weak or not useful for a cause, but with God on their side, they can rest assured that they cannot lose in the end. Because God uses people for his glorious purpose, Christians know work that seems insignificant, might contribute to a radical upheaval. God can even use an enemy to fulfill his purpose. In All Quiet on the Western Front, a book based on the first-hand experience of WWI by Erich Remarque, the German soldiers, who were considered the enemy, were humanized in the eyes of opposing countries, perhaps for the first time. Paul Baumer, a German soldier on the front lines, narrates the story. Baumer displays many acts of his kindness towards his fellow soldiers whether it’s his comforting a new recruit, sitting by the bed of a dying friend, or making a desperate effort to carry a wounded comrade to safety. Although Baumer doesn’t know it, he makes a difference in the lives of the soldiers around him through his friendship in difficult
Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Since the beginning of time, God has used those appearing weak, impaired, and disabled to win for his victory. He used Moses, a man with a speech impediment, to speak to the great Pharaoh. He used Paul, a man with a “thorn in his side,” to bring good news to many people. He used David, a young shepherd boy, to defeat the giant soldier Goliath. Over and over God used the underdog to bring victory. Christians may feel weak or not useful for a cause, but with God on their side, they can rest assured that they cannot lose in the end. Because God uses people for his glorious purpose, Christians know work that seems insignificant, might contribute to a radical upheaval. God can even use an enemy to fulfill his purpose. In All Quiet on the Western Front, a book based on the first-hand experience of WWI by Erich Remarque, the German soldiers, who were considered the enemy, were humanized in the eyes of opposing countries, perhaps for the first time. Paul Baumer, a German soldier on the front lines, narrates the story. Baumer displays many acts of his kindness towards his fellow soldiers whether it’s his comforting a new recruit, sitting by the bed of a dying friend, or making a desperate effort to carry a wounded comrade to safety. Although Baumer doesn’t know it, he makes a difference in the lives of the soldiers around him through his friendship in difficult