I am watching a movie on TV. The name of it isn’t important. It is a satire or a parody of the war in Afghanistan and, then president Obama, and his deliberate mockery of America’s military, his misuse of our national resources, his disrespect and demoralization of our military and its leadership. Again, it was a parody of real events and real people.
In one scene, the commander of the forces in Afghanistan, an army general, is giving a ‘pep talk’ to a company of marines on the front lines. This general has been instructed by the white house representatives that the military is there to clean up the mess Obama has made, wind the war down, under the guise of “nation building” and to install a democratic style of government.
During his speech, the general says that “we cannot help these people if we are killing them. It ain’t humanly possible.” And, he says, “they cannot trust us if we keep killing them. So, we need to stop killing them so we can help them.”
He noticed this group of marines were not responding with the enthusiasm as he had hoped for, so he solicits remarks from them. One marine responded with something like, “this is all bull, sir!”
The general look surprised and growled, “What do you mean by that, marine!?”
The marine said, “You are telling us we are here to help these people?”
The general says, “That is right, marine.”
“And we are not supposed to kill any of them?”
“You’re getting it, marine.”
“But, I am a marine sir. I am in a war. I kill people, sir”, the marine continued.
The general responded with, “Not any more, marine.”
“No respect sir, but, you are telling me that I am supposed to, somehow, convince these people that, deep down, I am really a nice guy? How am I supposed to do that when one out of every three or ten people here are trying to kill me? How am I supposed to not kill them when they are trying to kill me, sir? I am a marine and I am trained to fight a war and defend myself. I just don’t understand how that is supposed to work, sir. I am confused ,sir!”, the marine pleaded.
“Then you are just going to have to get yourself unconfused, son”, the general replies.
THEN IT STRUCK ME
We are not to kill them either. We are supposed to help them and build the Kingdom, even when they are trying to kill us!
Listen to the Apostle Paul as he wages his earthly war for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
2 Corinthians 11:23
(I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
Although I am a Christian, and, reflecting back on the movie, I am compelled to say, “No respect sir, but, you are telling me that I am supposed to, somehow, convince these people that, deep down, I am really a nice guy? That we are here to build their country and help them become prosperous? How am I supposed to do that when one out of every three or ten people here are trying to kill me? How am I supposed to not kill them when they are trying to kill me, sir? I am a marine and I am trained to fight a war and defend myself. I just don’t understand how that is supposed to work, sir. I am confused ,sir!” To which the marine is told “Then you are just going to have to get yourself un-confused, son.” The Apostle Peter explains in 1 Peter 2:24 And, again, the Apostle Paul says, in Colossians 4:5 I have to ask, “How am I supposed to do that, sir, when they are defying our laws, burning our cities down, destroying our businesses, killing our people, attacking our way of life? How am I supposed to do that when one out of three or five or ten of them want to kill me? I am confused sir!” To which the Apostles Peter and Paul and our Lord Jesus seem to be saying, “Then you are just going to have to get yourself un-confused, son!” I am thinking that if we stay busy doing what Jesus called us to be doing, we will have our attention diverted away from the temporal to the things that really matter. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, we are to take up the full armor of God, so that we will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” We are, therefore, to be on the alert, for we do not know which day The Lord is coming. But we can be sure of this, that if we had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, we would be on the alert and we will allow our households to be broken into. This is the reason we must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when we do not think He will. So then, who is the faithful and sensible follower of Jesus, whom Jesus has put in charge of His household to give them their “food” at the proper time? Blessed is that disciple, that Christian, whom Jesus finds so doing when He comes. Nothing else really matters. So, we must just get un-confused and get on with His Business! Mike Young 
Our war is not a war of flesh and blood and our weapons are not weapons of this world. But our
Your Brother and Friend,
Whitestone Fellowship 