As we come to the end of what this book has to say about battle it is crucial to note one final thing, "you will be wounded." This is war after all. And it isn't with all of the "sophisticated" technology and equipment of today where a general pushes a button and launches a missile. This is Normandy, Thermopylae, Falkirk (Brave Heart), or the opening scene of Gladiator. This is brutal, in your face, up close and personal war. And though it isn't a physical battle, there are still wounds.
"Just because this battle is spiritual doesn't mean it's not real; it is and the wounds a man can take are in some ways more ugly than those that come in a firefight... You will be wounded by the Enemy. He knows the wounds of your past, and he will try to wound you again in the same place. But these wounds are different; these are honor-wounds... 'It is an honor to be wounded in the service of the Lord.'"
Let's go to 300 one more time. After Stelios has killed the messenger and opened a path for Leonidas to throw his spear at Xerxes, arrows begin to rain down on the Spartans and soldiers move in to take them out. All of them are killed but there is a moment when Stelios, with two arrows in his chest, pulls himself over to Leonidas, who is also mortally wounded, and says, "My King! It's an honor to die at your side." Remember what he had said earlier about a beautiful death? He has given his life for his King, and his city, and it is an honor for him to be able to die next to his leader.
Scars are not sources of shame at this point, but badges of honor that we can be proud of, and boldly show off. The scars we now carry are from the battles we have fought and won. They are a reminder of what God has done and how we have been used in his service. They are nothing to be ashamed of.
I heard a story last year that I haven't been able to find on the internet and verify, but it came from a credible source so I don't doubt its truthfulness. A plastic surgeon was asked once about the strangest surgery he had ever been asked to perform, and he told a story about a Navy SEAL. The SEAL came to him and was ashamed of the fact that he didn't have any battle scars. He hated playing basketball with other warriors because when they took their shirts off to go skins, everyone had scars except for him. And so he asked the surgeon to give him a scar, something that looked like a bayonet slice across his abdomen. He wanted a scar that said, "I've been in combat, I've survived war."
All who fight in this war we are swept up in will be wounded. And because of this, we must be fierce. "'The kingdom of heaven suffers violence,' said Jesus, 'and violent men take it by force' (Matt. 11:12 NASB)... Hopefully by now you see the deep and holy goodness of masculine aggression... If you are going to live in God's kingdom, Jesus says, it's going to take every ounce of passion and forcefulness you've got. Things are going to get fierce; that's why you were given a fierce heart."
One myth that culture has placed on Christianity is that coming to Jesus solves all your problems and eliminates your troubles. As many will attest, the opposite is actually true. Coming to Christ means enlisting in His service, and it makes you a target for the Enemy. Do not be surprised when things get hard. Don't be surprise when you take hits. Don't be surprised when the Enemy strikes back, this is war after all.
But scars, my scars and yours, are badges of honor. They tell the story of what we have been through. They are reminders of the battles we have fought for the Kingdom. And scars are also a sign of the healing God has done in our lives. So wear the proudly, and don't be afraid to share the stories they carry.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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