The unnamed author of the letter of Hebrews gives us that kind of fatherly exhortation. The Christian life isn’t a training ground it’s the trenches, and we need to persevere. In fact, the Apostle reminds his readers that they have had “a hard struggle with sufferings” (10:32). The word “struggle” is related to the word we get athlete from — as if to say we’re in an athletic contest where suffering is trying to outdo, outpace, or overpower us.  That isn’t easy. 

Almost twenty years ago, when I was in basic military training, my dad sent me a letter. My mom wrote to me almost every single day but dad penned one letter and it reached me at about the half-way point of my training. Admittedly, I was worn out, uncertain of why I had joined the Air Force, and I feared I’d “wash out” like many of the recruits I had joined with. Into that discouragement dad’s letter came and while I don’t remember every detail I do remember the simple fatherly encouragement to keep going. It’s what I needed. And every time I grew discouraged I’d unfold the letter and re-read my dad’s words.
The unnamed author of the letter of Hebrews gives us that kind of fatherly exhortation. The Christian life isn’t a training ground it’s the trenches, and we need to persevere. In fact, the Apostle reminds his readers that they have had “a hard struggle with sufferings” (10:32). The word “struggle” is related to the word we get athlete from — as if to say we’re in an athletic contest where suffering is trying to outdo, outpace, or overpower us. That isn’t easy. CS Lewis once observed: “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”
Specifically, the sufferings with which they had a hard struggle were three. The Apostle reminds them that they were sometimes “publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property” (verses 33-34). In short order, they suffered reproach, they suffered for their associations and friendships, and they suffered the loss of personal property.
This, of course, wasn’t unique to them. If you look down the corridor of history it’s easy to spot a multitude of Christians who have endured severe consequences for the sake of Jesus Christ — a good reminder that Jesus’ words are fulfilled in every generation of the church: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Even today with increasing measure this is becoming the experience of Christians. Society has transitioned from treating Christianity with a degree of apathetic neutrality to seeing it negatively. Aaron Renn has offered a compelling analysis of our contemporary culture: “Society has come to have a negative view of Christianity. Being known as a Christian is a social negative, particularly in elite domains of society. Christian morality is expressly repudiated and seen as a threat to the public good and new public moral order.” A negative world will yield negative consequences for Christians.
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The more you close your mouth, the more cognizant you will become of your own pride and desire to be heard. The more you close your mouth, the more you will listen to others. Who knows, as you say fewer words, the ones you do utter may grow in value and application. 

The practice of spiritual disciplines will aid you in your walk with Jesus and in your walk with others. The more time you spend in Bible reading and prayer, for instance, the more likely you are to be growing in godliness. There are lists of spiritual disciplines and books written about spiritual disciplines. Lists include such disciplines as Bible intake, prayer, fasting, evangelism, worship, meditation, simplicity, silence, and solitude.
One discipline that is conspicuously absent from most lists, but which I find to be incredibly beneficial in my sanctification and in my relationships with others is the spiritual discipline of shutting my mouth. You may practice silence and solitude, but that isn’t the same thing as the discipline of shutting up.
Silence and solitude is the discipline you practice before the Lord. But, the discipline of shutting your mouth is practiced in the presence of others.
Biblically, this discipline is proposed in several passages of scripture:

James 1:19 — “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;”
James 1:26 — “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”
Proverbs 1:8-9 — “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and forsake not your mother’s teaching for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.”
Proverbs 10:19 — “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”

There should be time in your life where you practice extended periods of silence and solitude before the Lord. But, there should also be times when you shut your mouth in the presence of others. Be quick to listen. Be patient in listening. Sometimes, when people are saying things that may not be exactly accurate, you will even have to be long-suffering in your listening. But, it may not be helpful to speak.
Your speaking to a fool could be as throwing pearls before swine. Further, if you choose to speak into a subject about which you are ill-informed, you may show yourself to be the fool.
Truthfully, we often speak because we want to be seen as important, or wise, or learned.
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Written by J. V. Fesko |
Monday, June 26, 2023
I would want to tell a young person, yes, you can pursue a career in the military, but you need to be prepared to say no when everyone else is telling you to say yes. Would you cease to participate in war crimes at the risk of alienating your comrades, at the risk of your life, at the risk of your reputation? Would you be willing to stand for the truth and report the crimes, even if it meant the end of friendships and your career?

Among the many legitimate vocations that Christians can pursue, military service is certainly an acceptable choice. Serving in the military can be very beneficial. Many young people have testified to the fact that military service helped them grow up to be responsible adults. Many have taken advantage of financial assistance programs that help pay for college. Others have learned much about leadership, service, and honor by serving in the military. There are also many benefits—learning technical trades or even learning a unique skill, such as how to fly aircraft—that lead to long and profitable careers later in civilian life.
Even with all these advantages, as a pastor there are several areas in which I would want to provide counsel to a young person if he or she was considering military service as a vocation.
First, I would want to ensure that the person was very spiritually mature.
A regular part of military service is constant relocation and even deployment to foreign countries or war zones. With such an ambulatory life, being a member of a church and having regular access to the means of grace can be a great challenge.
If you’re on a year-long combat deployment to a war zone, you might not be able to hear the preaching of the word or take the sacrament consistently. And when you do, it might have to be a chaplain from another denomination or even religion who would perform a “religious service.” This means that a person has to be spiritually mature enough continually to seek through every means and avenue consistent spiritual nourishment.
Second, the Christian has to have a strong will—a dogged commitment to serve Christ and continually strive for greater sanctification.
The military is no different than the rest of the world, but it can have a strong group mentality, which is quite different from civilian organizations.
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