Gun and Sword
2026-07-31
Having a gun isn't about who you shoot.
I woke up this morning feeling not quite depressed anymore, glory to God. This whole week has been a bit of a slog, but I'm glad to be coming out of it at a better angle than when I started. It's nice to think a bit more clearly, to not have the dread from the illness cloud my judgment. Having days where things feel more serene is nice, and maybe I can cherish the time I have with it, as short or as long as it may be. It's easy for me to think the world's gone to shit, but so much harder to remember the influence of my perspective—to remember that I'm the one who's actually sick. Corruption sucks, but it's nothing new. Deeper than corruption, though, is the desire to be safe and free, yet overwhelmed by the suffering that comes with being exposed to nature; we forget how fragile we are in the face of those cruel and indifferent elements. It's not the follies of man that make us suffer.
Sure, someone could exercise their power and might over others, but if they spend all their time being mighty, they forget their ultimate objective—to create subjects. In those gaps of might, we see the truest acts of power. I'm reminded of that one teaching from Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, the one where He says that if someone forces you to go one mile with them, to go with them two. You know what? Here's the full passage (Matthew 5:38–42 NASB):
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Why exactly is it that we don't want to oppose an evil person? Well, Christ said that He didn't come here to bring peace, but a sword. That's why the meek are blessed; they're the real tough ones. It's much easier for us to act righteous when punishing those we deem to be wicked, but today's culture war has shown us the errors of this kind of thinking; everyone hates a virtue signaler. I'm sure we've all been there, seen that person who casts other people out in the name of upholding some greater moral truth. Canceling people is rather in vogue still; but even when upholding that supposed greater good—secular or religious—many fail to see that in those acts of retribution, they are denying the absolute authority and power of God. I give more credence to the secular person who does it because they don't know any better, but seeing religious people—especially Christians—exercise that same degree of ignorance worries me.
The acts of turning the other cheek, paying extra restitution, going that extra mile, and always giving to those who ask—these are the truest acts of defiance. They're why so many blaspheme and hate God; taking power into our own hands is the greatest of sins, and even when we do so in reverence and in the name of Christ, we are ultimately disregarding His absolute and final authority. The real tough guy worries not about how hard he can hit, but how hard he can get hit. That's why it's so important to not give in to despair when dealt a tough hand, and why we admire those who persevere in the face of adversity. God doesn't want us to suffer, but remember to always act in accordance with His will and not our own. Suffering was never supposed to be an act of punishment.
I will never surrender my faith to those who oppress it, but I know not to defy God. Even when I see that what they're doing is wrong, horrendous, and demonic in every sense of the word, I can't let that make me forget the sovereignty of the Lord I choose to serve. I have to deal them love, even if they're wrong, because I know God will provide that righteous judgment when it's all said and done. I don't worry about saving them, but instead use those tests as means to interrogate my own sins, and remember the statutes for which Christ lived and resurrected. Anything else would make me an abhorrent and vicious hypocrite. I must be honest to a fault, pay beyond my debts when they're due, and never worry about cashing in my chips. Otherwise, I'll lose this great spiritual battle the Lord has called me to wage with Him. Will I fail? Of course, but I know that grace will extend to those furthest corners none of us can see. I'm not worried about what will happen next. Every small moment requires my utmost attention and vigilance, and I must not waver in the face of those temptations of defiance. In this meditation, I can only confirm to you that I know nothing.
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