WARTORN
I have never known war outside of history books.
The closest I have ever been to war between two countries was when I would spend time with my grandfather, the greatest man I ever knew.
He was quiet but when he spoke things shifted.
I knew that he was a paratrooper in WW2 and Vietnam, then through the years became an electrician who worked for Disneyland…
…But that was about it.
Our afternoons usually looked like him picking me up from sports practice, feeding me, giving me a glass of milk to drink with EVERY meal, and me eventually falling asleep in his living room chair.
My biggest regret is not asking him more questions, especially about the wars he had served in.
I don’t have a context for war because I never had any experience fighting in a war.
I do on the other hand understand that any successful mission requires unity amongst those who believe in the mission in order to fulfill its purpose.
When I look at the battle raging in Ukraine between the people of Ukraine and the President of Russia, it is just that. My view of it is to be the people against the leadership of a neighboring nation. There seems to be a division amongst the Russian people.
I have read stories of the Russian military not participating in the assault on Ukraine’s freedom.
One story I read was of a Russian Tanker circling a village until the tank ran out of gas instead of attacking the villagers. I’ve read stories of Russian citizens not standing behind this invasion of their leadership, even though they are negatively impacted by the decisions of those who are meant to serve them. The people of Russia are making their voices heard, it is clear that they do not believe in attacking innocent people.
Leadership doesn’t always reflect the people it’s called to serve.
Jesus said it this way when accused of being divided in His purpose of bringing awareness of a new reality to humanity.
He said:
“Any kingdom that fights against itself is reduced to ruins..”
I best understand this concept by imagining a person trying to walk in two directions. Our feet were created to go in one direction, whatever direction that they are pointing. If I made my feet try to walk in different directions I would look really silly and then eventually will not be able to go any further.
Government is essentially the same way, corruption can only go for so long until it eventually halts in its step and a people rise up to replace it with courageous justice that shapes the culture of tomorrow.
It is my hope that in the midst of the craziness that a unified people will stand up together in order to fight off further corruption of leaders meant to serve the people, not enslave them.
The battles we fight today become the victories our children experience tomorrow.
My grandpa instilled in me how to fight, I may not always win, or even want to fight but there’s something on the inside given to me by him that causes me to rise.
There are grandparents of today that will tell stories of righteous victories that we are experiencing, while there are actual grandparents fighting onside of their grandchildren in Ukraine risking their lives for those freedoms for today.