Fighting

Yesterday we were watching a football game. One of the commercials was for some pay per view event I think was called 'Extreme Fighting' or something similar. The men shown were out of shape, thuggish and fought badly. They rushed at each other, arms flailing and did not watch each others feet. They fought like drunken frat-boys. They may have been drunken frat boys, for all I know.

The problem with such an event is that if you believe it necessary to fight, why not pause a moment and think about what that entails? In fighting, even the 'no holds barred' kind you want to keep your hands up to block your opponents blows. You watch your opponents feet. They tell you what he is about to do. You present as little as possible of your own body to your foe. You prepare for the fight mentally and physically. You study your opponent and try to find his weaknesses. You try to disguise your own blows and employ as much trickery as you can.

I think part of the problem we have had is that too often when we finally get riled and are ready to fight, we rush off headlong into the fray. It can be quite normal, even appropriate to be angry. It is important to fight for what you value. But even if your righteousness is great in the eyes of the Lord, if you run off into battle without preparation, you will be flattened.