Many have seen the 2016 historical movie, Hacksaw Ridge. It tells the story of Private Desmond Doss, a Seventh Day Adventist pacifist, who found a way to answer the call to serve in WWII without ever carrying a gun. Believing in the sanctity of human life, and committed to the victory of the allied forces, Desmond enlisted to play his part in the war against the evil Axis powers as a battlefield medic.
He suffered much abuse for his stand of faith, but he stuck to his guns (excuse the pun). He went to the front lines without a gun, and entered into one of the worst fights the Allied Army faced in the Battle of Okinawa. The Allied Army had to withdraw in the first engagement, having faced a strong enemy, and suffered multiple casualties.
As night fell and darkness covered the area, Private Doss stayed on the battlefield while Japanese soldiers roamed through the carnage, shooting wounded survivors. Doss crawled around looking for these survivors and one by one dragged them off that mountain, and let them down the side of the cliff, ultimately saving 75 soldiers who would have otherwise died horrible deaths!
As he crawled around he prayed, Lord, give me one more, just one more. And if that wasn’t enough, Doss suffered a left arm fracture from a sniper's bullet while being carried back to Allied lines, and at one point had seventeen pieces of shrapnel embedded in his body after attempting to kick a grenade away from himself and his comrades.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Okinawa.
*Actual photo of Doss receiving his medal of honor from President Harry Truman, October 12, 1945.
Private Doss believed in the sanctity of human life, and the value of every soul. When we step into the fight of faith, God fights on our behalf and gives us victory and fruitfulness.
“Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them. For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory” (Deuteronomy 20:4, BSB).
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, NIV).
"This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God" (Chronicles 20:15, BSB).
Marcel Marceau, the famed French entertainer of the early 20th century, was best known for his pantomime, bringing his silent character, Bip the Clown, to stages around the world for over 6 decades. He referred to his miming as “the art of silence.”
Few, however, know him for his heroism during the Nazi occupation of France.
Recruited to help the French Resistance by his cousin, Georges Loinger, he became part of the ultra-secret unit called the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants (Children's Relief Work), a Jewish relief group that smuggled Jewish children from occupied France to neutral countries. Their mission was to evacuate Jewish children who had been hiding in a French orphanage and get them to the Swiss border.
“But traveling with large groups of children was anything but easy. Marceau had a secret weapon: His training as a mime,” reports History.lcom.
“The kids loved Marcel and felt safe with him,” his cousin, Loinger reminesced to the Jewish Telegraph Agency. “He had already begun doing performances in the orphanage … The kids had to appear like they were simply going on vacation to a home near the Swiss border, and Marcel really put them at ease.” …
"He mimed “to keep children quiet as they were escaping,” remembered another.
At times, he posed as a Boy Scout leader taking groups of boys on nature outings (which just happened to find them hiking near the Swiss border!). On one occasion, he was confronted by German troops, at which time he tapped into his acting talents, pretended to be a French Army commander, and demanded that the German troops surrender to him immediately. And they did! All 30 of them!
In all, Marceau rescued over 70 children, while his cousin Loinger rescued more than 350.
He could not, however, save his own father, who was executed while imprisoned at Auschwitz.
Marcel's heroic actions bring to mind the famed quote oft attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.”
While it might be possible to lead a band of children to a safer border without words, words are essential in order to bring the saving message of the Cross to the world.
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" (Romans 10:4, NIV).
"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV).
Randall Lance Hughes, 48, was tazed by Waco police after drawing a knife. When the tazer had no affect, the Waco Police Department wrote in a Facebook post, "Our officers were forced to discharge their weapons in defense of their lives."
What was so important that Mr. Lance was willing to face down the police? Unless you happen to be a Texan, the answer might seem a bit strange to you. He was stealing a brisket! With the rising price of meat, a black market for brisket has emerged in Texas. Thefts have been reported in 19 H-E-B food stores, and thieves are selling the stolen briskets to local barbecue vendors.
One blogger wrote in response to the police incident, "To all you out of state invaders: This is Texas where we take our brisket seriously, stealing it is akin to stealing cattle. I propose a law to make BBQ theft punishable by public hanging, of course it should be at 1:00 PM, after a BBQ plate lunch is provided to the crowd."
Apparently, Randall Lance Hughes was willing to risk it all for a brisket! Are you willing to risk it all for something that really matters? How about risking your friendships, your relationships in order to share the Gospel message with those you know and love.
Granted, you probably won’t be shot for mentioning Jesus to your friends. Nevertheless, there is a risk and many shrink from it.
“So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen” (2 Timothy 2:10).