Welcome back.  I trust you all had a wonderful break.  If you’re having trouble seeing me, it probably means you looked at the sun yesterday without the proper eyewear.  Nonetheless, I’m glad you’re back.

Over the course of the year, I’ve mostly shared with you stories, poems, Bible verses, with some kind of lesson or idea for the day.  Well, for the next few weeks—maybe until the end of the year—I’m not going to tell you what I think.  Believe it or not, I don’t have all the answers.  Instead, I’m going to ask you some questions, and you can think about them for yourselves. 

159 years ago today, on April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively bringing the American Civil War to an end after 4 years of fighting.

Of course, we’re all very grateful for Grant’s victory, the end of slavery, the restoration of the Union.  But this story got me wondering about when to fight, and when to surrender.

When it came to fighting the Nazis in World War II, Winston Churchill made his position quite clear:

“We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

But we also know that when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane after being betrayed by Judas, Peter fought back and cut off the guard’s ear with his sword.  But Jesus put the ear back on, and then later said to Pilate during his trial: “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting”—and he surrendered himself be tried and crucified unjustly.

So, my question today is simple: How do we know when to fight and when to surrender?

Have a wonderful day.