On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I was getting out of English class preparing to head to a CEP event during my freshmen year at Presbyterian College. That morning had all the makings of an ordinary day until America got punched in the mouth. I remember the feelings of anxiety and anger upon realizing that the land of the free and the home of the brave was under attack. Everyone who loved the freedom and opportunity that this nation offers was ready to fight to defend it, and rightfully so. Countless military and first responders went out risking their own lives to save as many as they could during the aftermath of these horrific attacks. And it was almost like a patriotic revival in our country.
But this has me thinking today, what is worth fighting for? Many of us would fight over almost anything during our younger days. But you reach a certain age, or point in life, where fighting is no longer fun. And the only reasons now that I would fight are to defend or kill. So what would I fight for now?
1. Faith. I will fight to defend my faith. It is essential to how I live my life and who I am. Fighting for your faith is a little different from a physical fight in the aspect that you must fight clean. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to defend our faith with "gentleness and respect." If you're are attacking on someone and do not fight for your faith out of love, you risk losing the battle for that person's soul. But not mistake this to mean that spiritual warfare does not exist and that fighting for our faith will be easy.
2. Family. This one is a gimme for most people. Obviously, we love (or should love anyway) our family members more than other people in our life. And while our children and our spouses are the often the bright spots of our day and the ones who bring the biggest smiles to our faces, they are also the causes of more frustration than others. But I think we can all agree that no matter how upset we are with someone in our household, if someone from the outside attacks, we put our issues aside and come together to defeat the threat...much like what happened in America after the attacks of 9/11.
3. Church. My church is not perfect. If it wants to be, step 1 is removing a sinner like me from its membership. Your church is not perfect. Church wasn't designed to be perfect, it was designed to be Christ's beautiful bride. On a wedding day, the bride is perfect. She is catered to, loved, celebrated, and amazingly beautiful. But after the wedding, the bride and groom become husband and wife. The wedding is a celebration as well as a charge because marriage isn't always pretty. It's doing budgets, paying bills, not sleeping, fixing stuff, cleaning stuff, etc. I am aware that my church isn't perfect, but just like I will not tolerate someone talking negatively about my wife, I will not tolerate someone speaking negatively about my church. We are seeking God and reaching people the best that we can do. If you want to offer words of encouragement of help, help. If not, leave it unsaid.
4. Career. My career is how I provide for my family. It gives me fulfillment by doing that as well as knowing that I have helped people achieve dreams and do things they may have though impossible. I make mistakes, the company I work for makes mistakes. And I imagine that the same is true of you and your employer. So please understand that if you attack my integrity, my job performance, or my work ethic, I will be fighting mad. And also know that I will defend the company I work for in the same regards and encourage you that if you're not working somewhere you feel that sold on or that committed to, to look for a field or a company that you can have a passion towards. My dad has always told us that there's a million ways to make a dollar, find one you enjoy.
Fighting isn't fun. Yea it didn't hurt that bad to get hit when we were younger but as we age even bumping into a door hurts a little more. So evaluate what's worth fighting for in your life. Fight for what you believe in, fight for what's right, fight for each other. On 9/11, every innocent victim bled the same blood. Families, churches, businesses, and our nation have got to stop the infighting. On this day, let's start another revolution, another revival where we come together and look past our differences to see what could be if we come together in love.
"If we're gonna fight, let's fight for each other." - Mandissa
But this has me thinking today, what is worth fighting for? Many of us would fight over almost anything during our younger days. But you reach a certain age, or point in life, where fighting is no longer fun. And the only reasons now that I would fight are to defend or kill. So what would I fight for now?
1. Faith. I will fight to defend my faith. It is essential to how I live my life and who I am. Fighting for your faith is a little different from a physical fight in the aspect that you must fight clean. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to defend our faith with "gentleness and respect." If you're are attacking on someone and do not fight for your faith out of love, you risk losing the battle for that person's soul. But not mistake this to mean that spiritual warfare does not exist and that fighting for our faith will be easy.
2. Family. This one is a gimme for most people. Obviously, we love (or should love anyway) our family members more than other people in our life. And while our children and our spouses are the often the bright spots of our day and the ones who bring the biggest smiles to our faces, they are also the causes of more frustration than others. But I think we can all agree that no matter how upset we are with someone in our household, if someone from the outside attacks, we put our issues aside and come together to defeat the threat...much like what happened in America after the attacks of 9/11.
3. Church. My church is not perfect. If it wants to be, step 1 is removing a sinner like me from its membership. Your church is not perfect. Church wasn't designed to be perfect, it was designed to be Christ's beautiful bride. On a wedding day, the bride is perfect. She is catered to, loved, celebrated, and amazingly beautiful. But after the wedding, the bride and groom become husband and wife. The wedding is a celebration as well as a charge because marriage isn't always pretty. It's doing budgets, paying bills, not sleeping, fixing stuff, cleaning stuff, etc. I am aware that my church isn't perfect, but just like I will not tolerate someone talking negatively about my wife, I will not tolerate someone speaking negatively about my church. We are seeking God and reaching people the best that we can do. If you want to offer words of encouragement of help, help. If not, leave it unsaid.
4. Career. My career is how I provide for my family. It gives me fulfillment by doing that as well as knowing that I have helped people achieve dreams and do things they may have though impossible. I make mistakes, the company I work for makes mistakes. And I imagine that the same is true of you and your employer. So please understand that if you attack my integrity, my job performance, or my work ethic, I will be fighting mad. And also know that I will defend the company I work for in the same regards and encourage you that if you're not working somewhere you feel that sold on or that committed to, to look for a field or a company that you can have a passion towards. My dad has always told us that there's a million ways to make a dollar, find one you enjoy.
Fighting isn't fun. Yea it didn't hurt that bad to get hit when we were younger but as we age even bumping into a door hurts a little more. So evaluate what's worth fighting for in your life. Fight for what you believe in, fight for what's right, fight for each other. On 9/11, every innocent victim bled the same blood. Families, churches, businesses, and our nation have got to stop the infighting. On this day, let's start another revolution, another revival where we come together and look past our differences to see what could be if we come together in love.
"If we're gonna fight, let's fight for each other." - Mandissa
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