Fight Bravely & Die Quickly

In the movie The Mask of Zorro, a young fighter has lost much. He is angry and seeking revenge against the enemy. An older, wiser warrior—the sage— stops him from entering the battle unprepared. 

“You would have fought very bravely and died very quickly,” he says. 

That’s a sobering dose of reality. In our own strength, we could rush the field rather than adequately prepare, quickly exceeding our area of gifting and authority. We would fight bravely and die quickly. If you’re prone to charge into battle quickly, I hope this slows you down. Especially those of you who know what you were born to do. You’ve been honing your skills for a while now. Perhaps you’ve received some level of acclaim. The more you understand what’s really going on, the more you’re ready to get off the bench and into the game. 

Yet those who know their talents best can begin to rely on their gifts to get through whatever they face. Past success causes them to spend less time preparing for what’s next. This is a real danger. Over time, that can lead an overconfidence in one’s own strength. It’s more of a fire, ready, aim approach. 

It’s great you want to do more. But doing comes after being. When we are overconfident, we tend to rely on our power and talent more than on preparation and discipline to master what God has given us. We are not called to do things for God unless we’re first willing to do those things with God. To be the student rather than the master. 

Want more? Order your copy of Chaos Can't today!