Enter the Arena

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.”

---Teddy Roosevelt

The first time I heart these words was November 2002 standing in Arlington National Cemetery just outside of Washington D. C. The occasion was the funeral of my brother who has been serving as in the Navy Seals and was killed in action in Yemen. My brother was definitely I guy who insisted on being in the arena. After several years of intense military service in South America he eventually settled into a different life. He married, had kids and pursued training to become physician’s assistant at the Naval Hospital. A pretty ‘safe’ lifestyle for someone so used to being in the arena. He couldn’t handle it. Knowing that his brothers, those he gone to boot camp and battle with, were in the middle of the arena, while he was safely working in a sanitized hospital was too much to take. He made the decision to reenter the arena. He requested and received permission from his superiors to rejoin the battle. His new arena became Yemen where he was killed in October of 2002. Sad yes, but not nearly as sad as a life sitting on the sidelines watching others fight the battle.

God, give us distaste for sitting around in the crowd while there is an arena waiting for us to jump in and be involved in the battle. Make our boredom with observation so intense that we have no choice but to become full participants in the arena that God has placed us in.