Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
In the 1995 epic movie ‘Braveheart’, academy award winning director Mel Gibson portrays William Wallace, a Scottish warrior who received recognition when he lead the Scotts in the First War of Scottish Independence by opposing King Edward I of England a.k.a “Longshanks”. What is most interesting about this film, besides the fact that it takes three hours of your life to watch, is the stand Wallace made for what he believed in. Towards the end of the movie, Wallace is captured by the English and, after having refused to plead guilty to charges brought against him, is tortured in front of a hostile English crowd. He had the opportunity to stop all the torture. All he had to do was to say, “Mercy”. He stood for what he believed and absorbed the punishment even after winning over the crowd. His dying word was not mercy, but what he was fighting for the entire movie, “Freedom”.
In Ephesians 6:11, Paul encourages us to put on God’s full amour in order that we might stand against the devils schemes. He further warns us that we are not fighting against enemies of flesh and blood (Eph 6:12). It is interesting to note though, that in verse 13, he tells us to “stand our ground and after having done everything, to stand”. There seems to be an emphasis on standing. Stand, even after you have stood through the day of temptation. Stand after you have stood through trials and tribulations. Stand; even after winning the critics over. Even after you have made your point; STAND!
Standing, means to be strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10). Standing is to trust that God’s promises will not fail just as they did not fail for the Israelites (Josh 21:45). It is to patiently wait on the Lord (Psalms 46:10). It is not to lose heart (2 Cor 4:16-18).
Wallace had proved his point. Everyone must have been like, “Okay, okay. We get it; Freedom! Now shut up and say mercy” But he was not doing it to prove a point. He lived for something which out lived him: Scottish independence. As Christians, we too are called to live for something that will outlive us, the kingdom of God. It is not about the ‘does and don’ts’. It must be intertwined in our daily lives. Our very being must scream, “Christ is Lord” even when the enemy bargains relief if we scream “Mercy”. Yes, even to the point of death. “... and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you…” (1 Pet 3:15).
Remember: If you stand for nothing, you will fall for everything.
With Love
Yunam
