Schwarzkopf’‘s memoir shares insights into the future general’s challenges of growing up with the benefits of financial privilege, a private school education and extensive international travel. His story includes an explanation of unique issues common to military families, a penetrating view into a home led by an alcoholic mother whose dysfunction peaked while the father was deployed and an extended estrangement from a sister who protested the Viet Nam war while Schwarzkopf was deployed in the unpopular conflict.
A soldier’s life is foreign to me. The only uniform I have worn is one assigned when I played on a college intermural basketball team, "The Klunkers." (And, we lived up to our name!) My parents didn’t even allow us to own toy guns. "Guns kill!" they reminded me. My parents were passivists in temperament and that affected how I grew up. Kids in our neighborhood wore their father’s WWII uniforms and played war, but my father had been exempted from the military with a last minute announcement by President Roosevelt. I suppose I could have played the role of a German civilian prisoner of war, but . . .
During General Schwarzkopf’s eight month long stint in Desert Storm, he taped a quote by General William T. Sherman, "War is the remedy our enemies have chosen. And I say let us give them all they want." I have no quarrel with the military. It just isn’t part of my life experience. The One who enlists us has called for a different response to enemies. Consider His instructions."You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." – Matthew 5:38-45 (My friend, Bob Neuman’s experience is an endnote. It illustrates how literal translation and application can be messy!)
An emphasis on "Spiritual Warfare" may be enriched with less military language and more stress on the vocabulary of peace making. It may be worth exploring what would happen when the enemy is "me" and not those with whom I disagree or behave in ways I disapprove. Is victory as "surrender to the One who came to give life in abundance," worthy of discussion? On occasion we might ask, "Are the antagonistic and hostile ‘Left’ the real opposition, or is the true enemy of my soul my personal anger and need to be in charge, exerting power and imposing myself?"
The war metaphor can be confusing. While embracing passivist values, our family also sang –
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
There is room for explaining spiritual conflict, but I do not believe answering the abrasive behavior of the world with actions in kind is what Jesus intended. Should the spirit of "With the cross of Jesus," His bold surrender to His Father’s will, be our adopted banner of behavior? The Spirit of Jesus on the cross is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s suffering servant. (Isaiah 53) Are we missing something when we emphasize how to win battles when the loser is always someone else? I am thinking about the perplexity of the battle as one without a soldier’s experience.
Dividends are payments made by corporations to stockholders. The rate of return is connected to the level of risk the investor takes and how profitable the corporation proves to be. For instance, original investors in Ford Motor Company merely believed that Henry Ford’s assembly line concept had merit and risked their funds. Those who trusted Ford’s dream and invested, became wealthy.
Many people have heard our dream and trusted that what we described was worthy of risking their time, skills, and funds. Last week Pat and I attended the annual Spring Garden Academy Thanksgiving program and family dinner. More than 200 people attended, many from the Resurrection Life Church neighborhood. Pat and I collected a dividend!
One family with whom we had shared life and witness for more than ten years reported that they had recently become members of Resurrection Life. The mother said, "My whole life has been changed!" Her daughters and grandchildren also attend and one daughter is a member of the current "Next Generation" class. At least six of the youth who first entered the building to play basketball now attend "The Bridge" youth ministry and are attending Sunday worship.
But, the one bid line item in our dividend payment was the presentation of Spring Garden Academy children. We were thrilled! The elementary school children sang four verses of "Fairest Lord Jesus," all the verses of "Holy, Holy, Holy," and three verses of "Count Your Blessings." To their repertoire they added a quotation in unison of Psalm 115 and Psalm 101 followed by Philippians 4:4-7, all this without a cue card! Tears flowed as I learned that the lyrics of important hymns and lengthy passages of Scripture are imbedded in youthful hearts forever! There is no eraser for the brain!
If you have invested your time, funds or skills, the dividends are beginning to be paid. There is a payday coming, a "well-done good and faithful servant, enter . . ." Heaven will be richer and more boisterous as we share in triumphant adoration with those whose names are written there because of what risks we have taken here. I wish you could have sampled the future joy with us last week.
Endnote:
When I was a teenager and after I had become a Christian, some friends and I were cruising, looking for girls in Hammond. We spotted two of them walking down the street and interpreted either their smile or wave as a come on – like saying "sic ‘em" to a dog. So I raced around the block, and cut down an alley to catch up with them.
What I did not know was that as I sped down the alley I hit a puddle of water and splashed a man. He tracked us down, got me out of the car and hit me in the face. I told him, Sir, I am a Christian and Jesus said, ‘If a person strikes you on one cheek, turn the other to him also.’ BOTTOM LINE: I did . . . and HE DID! The take-away lesson from the experience is, "Be careful taking Jesus’ words literally!"
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