"The Irish tell a story of a man who came to the gates of Heaven and asked to be let in. Saint Peter said, ‘Of course! Just show us your scars.’ The man says, ‘I have no scars.’ Saint Peter says, ‘What a pity, was there not something worth fighting for?’" —Martin Sheen
Something worth fighting for — it’s an interesting idea. As men, we’re meant to have a ‘fighting spirit.’ Not fighting for the sake of fighting, but fighting for what is good. Our secular culture would rather men be more like Ned Flanders from the Simpsons than Superman. But, we’re not called to be like Ned, and the quote from Martin Sheen gets at that.
This doesn’t mean that we should walk around getting into brawls, though. Fighting is more than just trading punches with another person. It’s subjecting our bodies to our wills. It’s laying down our lives for our marriages and our families, battling sin with all our might, and calling for help and mercy during trials and temptations. Fighting can be physical, emotional, and spiritual.
But, the question is, are we really fighting? Or, are we surrendering? Are we going toe-to-toe for what we believe in, or are we rolling over?
“In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” (Hebrews 12:4)