It is not the critic who counts

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 who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows 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 neither know victory nor defeat.

Teddy Roosevelt

$3 dollars worth of God?

“I would like to buy $3 worth of God please, not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3 dollars worth of God please.”

Wilbur Rees

A ‘tamed’ Christianity?

Being a Christian is not just a matter of being kind and patient. It is also a matter of being tough, committed, and passionate. This is particularly necessary when things desperately need to change. And things usually do not change when people are only kind and patient, but when, along with such qualities, they are prepared to make the hard decisions no matter the personal cost, and when they care enough to risk change. There are times when the broken-in horse may be of good use, but sometimes we do need the fiery stallion.

No Rusty Swords, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life is a profound illustration of his belief in the necessity of being tough, committed, and passionate for genuine change, especially within the context of his Christian faith. Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church. His stance against the Nazi regime and its atrocities against the Jews and other minorities showcased his commitment to his beliefs, despite the grave personal risks involved.

Bonhoeffer’s engagement in the German resistance against Hitler and his participation in plans to assassinate the dictator are stark examples of his conviction that being a Christian extends beyond the realms of kindness and patience. This was a man who, deeply rooted in his faith, chose to confront evil actively, embodying the toughness and passion he described as necessary for effecting change. He understood that combating such a pervasive and malignant force as Nazism required more than passive resistance; it demanded direct action, even if that meant breaking the law or engaging in violence, actions that would traditionally be against Christian teachings.

Despite the danger, Bonhoeffer returned to Nazi Germany from the safety of the United States, feeling that he could not be part of the post-war reconstruction of Christian life in Germany if he did not share the trials of this period with his countrymen. This decision ultimately led to his arrest in April 1943, and subsequent execution in April 1945, just weeks before the end of World War II. His sacrifice was a testament to his belief in the need for Christians to be actively involved in the world’s sufferings and injustices, ready to make hard decisions for the greater good.

Bonhoeffer’s life was a direct manifestation of his belief that true change requires a combination of kindness, patience, toughness, commitment, and passion. He lived and died in the pursuit of justice, demonstrating through his actions that faith must be lived actively and courageously, particularly when confronting evil and seeking to bring about transformative change. Bonhoeffer’s legacy continues to inspire many who find themselves at the intersection of faith and action, encouraging a stance that is both compassionate and uncompromisingly bold in the face of injustice.