Why do we fight?
I was watching a rerun of Scrubs on Comedy Central and a statement was made to the effect that good relationships and bad relationships have the same set of crap that the partners in that relationship have to deal with, the same choices and bad decisions and insults and fights, trials and hardships. The difference is, the ones in a good relationship don’t let it get them down.
“The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12b)
This scripture indicates a struggle. A struggle so hard it is described as violent. What struggles do we have in our lives now? School, maintaining relationships, defending friendships, financial struggles, etc. Even me, For the past 3 years I’ve been fighting for a relationship that doesn’t exist. So why am I fighting? Why not just give up and let the chips fall as they may.
This scripture indicates that this violence, this struggle had for its object, the Kingdom of Heaven. In other words, they were struggling for a good cause, fighting for the ultimate rightness. In school yes we struggle, seek tutors, haggle over grades. Why? It is because our struggle is to graduate. In relationships we fight, we make compromises, and we endure hardships. Why? It is because we believe they are our soul mates, that maybe they may be the one. We have the “audacity to hope” that we will spend the rest of our lives with them. In our friendship, the goal is the have that friendship be like David and Jonathans (1 Samuel 18:1). In finances, the goal is to live life without owing anyone. What are you striving for?
That last part says that “the violent take it by force.” Earlier we said, “the difference is, the ones in a good relationship don’t let it get them down.” In other words, the ones who want it, those press for it, the violent, the one who press into (Luke 16:16), those who overcome something, those who lay aside every weight and sin, those who run with patience, those who are more than conquerors, the overcomers, they that endure unto the end, they are the one who seize it. This is a confirmation that your labor is not in vain. A reminder that the laborer will receive his reward. Even in revelation there are 7 Promises to the overcomers, the ones who “take it by force.” Take hope in this knowing that your labor is not in vain.
Let us leave with the words of Dante Allegheny…
suffereth violence
From fervent love, and from that living hope
That overcometh the divine volition;
Not in the guise that man o’ercometh man,
But conquers it because it will be conquered,
And conquered, conquers by benignity.”
