V for Victory
One of the things I planned for on our recent trip half way across the world was what I would read. I went well-armed with biographies of Chang Kai Shek (since I’d be visiting Taiwan, I wanted to understand the Generalissimo), Winston Churchill (because I thought it would round out a study of World War II), and a confession by Anne Rice entitled Called Out of Darkness (because I’m always interested in why people leave atheism even if I haven’t read their novels).
How did I like these? Jonathan Fenby’s Chang Kai Shek biography was painfully long and far too detailed. Paul Johnson’s work on Churchill was lucid and a wonderful read. Anne Rice’s book was a very interesting look into the religious life and thoughts, as well as the psychology of another person. Did I learn anything?
Of course! Don’t be silly. I learned lots of things, many things I didn’t need to learn about Chang Kai Shek especially. I’ve now started a thick biography of FDR that I bought from Eduardo this past Fall at our church garage sale. I may as well continue learning about the personalities of those who led during World War II. But here’s the thing about biographies: they give you a chance to see how people react to life. Some react cowardly or violently. Some react bravely and with grace. Most of the time though, persons find enough time in their lives to act both cowardly and courageously. I think that is true for the human species, don’t you? I know what it means to be cowardly and I also think I have acted courageously on occasion.
Churchill had a famous saying that seemed to sum up the way he interacted with the world. “In war, resolution. In defeat, defiance. In victory, magnanimity. In peace, goodwill.” I’m not sure one can say that is an especially Christian statement but I will say this, I think it is a statement informed by the entire biblical experiment. Sometimes we war within ourselves. Sometimes we are drawn into battles or diagnoses we did not choose. What is active within that quote of Churchill’s is, I think, the hope of the human spirit. We might say in our church, “Keep your eyes on the prize.” I don’t know what you might be facing this week but here is hoping you will find a way to be courageous, to stand with your back straight, your chin and head up and find your way through. That gesture of Churchill’s in the picture is not a peace sign. It is a V for Victory sign. He was famous for signing it during the war. During. Before victory was won. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Churchill didn’t say that. The writer of the Hebrews (11:1) did. The courage and hope of Christ the Author and Finisher of our faith abide with us.
