To Die For?

I've been going to the movies a little more often than I used to. The most recent one that goes into the list of movies watched is "The Lone Survivor". A pretty intense yet heart-wrenching movie based on a true story about a group of Navy SEAL who participated in the Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan.

Here's an excerpt of what the movie's about: 

"The movie is based on the Marcus Luttrell book by the same name.  It examines how four SEALs -- Luttrell, Mike Murphy, Danny Dietz, and Matt Axelson -- were dropped onto an Afghanistan mountain on a reconnaissance mission, in 2005, to determine if a major Taliban leader, who had killed many American troops, was in a particular village.  Unfortunately, an elderly goat herder, a teenage boy, and a child came upon them, compromising the mission.  The fatal decision was made to release the Afghanis who notified the Taliban of the SEAL presence.  A furious firefight ensued, killing three SEALs, and another sixteen special forces operatives died in a helicopter crash while attempting a rescue mission.  Luttrell, the "lone survivor," was rescued by a Pashto village chief who provided him safety from the Taliban and medical aid for his major wounds, and sent a messenger to notify the American military."

Source: The American Thinker 

After watching the movie, I got onto the internet and looked up the background of this movie and found some short interviews with the real "Lone Survivor", Marcus Luttrell. I was particularly astounded by this one. 




Interviewer: “One of the emotions that I felt, while watching the film is first of all the hopelessness of the situation — how horrific it was and also just all that loss of life of these brave American men.."

Luttrell: "I don’t know what part of the film you were watching, but hopelessness really never came into it....I mean, where did you see that? Because there was never a point where we just felt like we were hopelessly lost or anything like that. We never gave up. We never felt like we were losing until we were actually dead....We spend our whole lives training to defend this country and then we were sent over there by this country — so you’re telling me because we were over there doing what we were told by our country that it was senseless? And my guys — what? They died for nothing?"

Wow. That came back pretty hard. But that stirred me to think. The tagline of the movie says it, "based on true act of courage".  These men trained all their lives believing in their calling to serve their nation. They fought with courage and were willing to give up their lives for what they believed they were called for. Hopelessness was not even in the radar at all. They were focused. They had a mindset that they fought from victory's side. They never lost till they were dead. If they died, they'd rather die in the battlefield. They'd rather die doing what they were called to do. 

Luttrell's response got me really thinking.  Am I willing to die for "my calling"? The fact that sometimes I carelessly recite this to myself, "To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain". Hang on, isn't this line quite... "senseless"? I believe these men probably understood their mandate in life no matter how "senseless" it was to a normal person, they lived for it and died for it. What about me? Do I see hopelessness around me or am I willing to strive in hope until I really die for "something"? 

We often describe some things that are so desirable and good as something "to die for". 

Chocolates are to die for... 

Ice creams are to die for....

That awesome torny durians are to die for....

What about.... desiring... Him?

Is it worth dying for? 

Do I really have what it takes to press on in hope for what I believe in? 

Only the test of time and reality would tell. And I believe the trials are not far away. 
It's happening already. 

Gotta pick up the armour and sharpen that sword to be ready for battle (Ephesians 6). 
Perhaps, and hopefully die a hero not just for one day, but for an eternal cause.

"I, I can remember (I remember)

Standing, by the wall (by the wall)

And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads)

And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)

And the shame, was on the other side

Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever

Then we could be Heroes, just for one day....."

~David Bowie~

(Covered by Peter Gabriel from the OST of "The Lone Survivor")