A balance

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. – 1 Corinthians 16v13-14

I watched a video yesterday from Kenneth Branagh’s “Henry V.” In his St Crispin’s Day speech he brilliantly charges his men to face the out numbered troops. Shakespeare’s words ring out –

“Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.”

You cannot help but be motivated by words like this, and as Paul is about to wrap up his marvellous letter to the Christians at Corinth. Toward the end he gives them some final instructions. The list sounds almost like a clarion call for battle:

Watch

Stand fast

Be brave

Be strong

The Christian life is not for wimps, it is not for sissies, it is for real soldiers.

But wait, how are we to watch, stand fast, be brave, and be strong? “Let all you do be done with love.” I have known many Christian fighters in my life. I have known men whose militancy cannot be questioned. The word of God is clear, we must earnestly contend. We must be on watch. We must stand fast. We must be brave. We must be strong. But we must do it all in love.

What motivates our fight? What motives our battle? It is love.

Does that make any sense? I am more accustomed to doing these things out of anger, pride, and arrogance. I have fought because I wanted others to think well of me.

Am not sure in my own mind how to balance all this, but God’s word is clear. What is my motivation? Is it love, or something else?