JUNE 26, 2019

...This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
~ Shakespeare, Henry V

JOB 7-9

32“He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,

that we might confront each other in court.

33If only there were someone to mediate between us,

someone to bring us together,

34someone to remove God’s rod from me,

so that his terror would frighten me no more.

35Then I would speak up without fear of him,

but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(9:32-35)

ACTS 7:44-60

54When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

JOURNAL 

Job asks for a mediator in his suffering and Stephen sees Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven. Conflict is part of this life...almost as if it is the fuel and the basis of all meaning. Where did the idea arise that life is supposed to be one great happy joy ride?!?! Somewhere in the last 100 years the mindset of our country somehow changed and adopted this lie and delusion. 

I will be the first to admit that I fall into this same toxic mentality. If I am not happy, content, completely filled with love and joy then something has to be terribly wrong. No I really think it is the other way around...if I am happy, content and joyful 24/7 then something is really wrong. This world is filled with conflict and hardships and disappointments and death and hate and rage and selfishness etc. To not be influenced or affected by that means that I have somehow blocked it all out and am living in some sort of twisted la la land. 

Is this not the reason sports are such a huge part of our world? Deep in our hearts I believe we know that conflict and seeking to overcome is what gives life purpose and meaning. Sports are hard, it requires practice and pain and heartache. It guarantees disappointment for every single member of every team but one. The odds are never very high that a team will win a championship and even if it does there still exists disappointment and conflict.

So why then are we so confounded and surprised when we experience hardship, conflict and heartache?  Why are we so surprised when things don't go our way and we blow it? Why are we so enraged when wrongs happen and we just aren't happy all the time? 

I truly think it is a mindset. In many ways  I have seen conflict as something to avoid rather than a necessary tool for communication and bettering the world. It is necessary and must be waded through in righteous ways. It creates opportunities for love, forgiveness, humility, growth etc. While it is part of some really awful things that have happened in this world it is also the means of some really wonderful things and ultimately our peace and salvation. Conflict is not the issue...the issue is the heart and spirit of those involved.  

When I watch this clip of Henry V...my heart soars. I want to go out and kick ass. The reality is... true joy is found in these moments. It is found in the battle, in the war. Going back to this pivotal moment in Acts...for Stephen to capitulate and soft-pedal and avoid conflict would have probably preserved his life, but that would not have solved the ultimate issue...the heart of Saul...who was standing by holding the coats.

 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8