At War

"America is not at war. The military is at war. America is at the mall."
- Internet wisdom (not an oxymoron, for once)

This saying is quoted in an article of which there are many versions floating around the 'net, to the effect that the war on terrorism is being fought only by our military, not by American civilians. The article, much of which is taken from a speech by a retired Air Force officer, points out the difference between this war and World War II, during which America, united by the survival of the Depression, pulled together with every citizen doing his part to help the war effort, despite political differences.

Times have changed and circumstances are different now, of course. But the article calls the American people (specifically lawmakers, who have a measure of authority) back to a mindset of everyone being involved in and affected by the war, and America's people supporting the military. Major Van Harl writes:

The biggest difference between WW II and the Global War on Terrorists is summed up in "sacrifice." In both WW I and WW II the American public was not only asked to sacrifice, but expected to sacrifice. In our current war no one in the political arena wants to be the person who forces the public to start sacrificing by proposing, passing and enforcing laws that make us give up anything.

As Christians, are we fighting the war against sin, or are we at the "mall" of worldly values and attractions? How seriously am I taking this battle myself? Am I simply "paying with my tax dollars" - e.g. attending church and caregroup, having quiet times, paying my dues? Or am I a soldier on the battlefield?

In America in WWII, some people were called to be soldiers and others remained home and supported the war effort by using less gasoline, donating scrap metal, and rationing their meat and rubber. But in the battle for holiness, I can't just be a supporter. I have to be a Marine, out on the battlefield, taking down the enemy.

This is a two-fold entry: I posted the excerpts about America's involvement in the war effort because I think we should be more financially supportive of our military, even making sacrifices as our grandparents did in World War II in order to get the job done.

But I think this should point us to an even more difficult calling we have as God's redeemed - we must all be soldiers, battling our sin. How many days am I shopping at the mall of worldliness instead of fighting the battle of holiness? Too many.

Love for the things of the world has three facets, as outlined in 1 John 2:16:

"For all that is in the world -- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions -- is not from the Father but is from the world."

"The desires of the flesh" are anything that pleases our bodies -- for me and my Christian friends, it's food, laziness, comfort, self. This is when the Marine is relaxing on the battlefield watching TV and eating chips, or when I stay in bed too long on a day off school instead of getting up and helping my family.

"The desires of the eyes" I believe is a specific target at my sin of lust, and the particular male tendency thereto. I think it also is talking about wanting to look good in order to be desired. We guys like to say this is more of a female issue, but I know we're guilty of it way more than we'd like to admit, in ways that seem (to us) more subtle, but to our Commanding Officer smack of the world just as vilely.

"Pride in possessions" is my fixation with the iPod, the cool laptop, the Mac mini, the sweet car, the DVDs, the airsoft rifle, the cooler clothes, and you name it. For others it's the football tournament, the latest phone, the coolest shoes, the hairdo, the new movie, the guitars, the career. Pride in possessions (referred to in the NIV as "the boasting of what he has and does") looks about as good on God's warriors as a thousand pounds of worthless gear does on the battlefield Marine.

I need to rid myself of the mindset that I'm here to have fun. That can be at the heart of my actions so often, and it's laughably ridiculous once the difficult task of exposing that lie is done. But I'm here to fight. My sin is a vicious enemy and I'm here to kill it. My mission is joy in God and I have to fight for that joy. The victory has been won by Jesus Christ, but I'm still fighting this battle, with His ammunition and motivation, until my tour of duty is over and I'm brought home.

I'm not very good at thinking this way, and I know many other Christians aren't either. But wouldn't it be great if we did? World-minded Christians look great in public. They have the cool clothes and the cool friends, the money and the connections. But warfare-minded Christians look great to God - out on the battlefield, whether it's as missionaries in Mexico, Uganda, Bolivia, Zambia, or Azerbaijan, or doing God's work at home raising a family or in a career.

As Christians, are we at war against sin, or are we at the mall?