I re-watched the film ‘We were soldiers’ recently. Based on fact it tells of an early battle between the US army and the Vietcong in Vietnam. The original incident was significant as it spawned the book We Were Soldiers Once … And Young, by Joseph Galloway
I learned too that Rick Rescola, the man pictured on the front cover of the book was killed in the 9/11 attack on the twin towers. He was last seen with a megaphone, directing his staff to leave the building to save their lives. www.wtj.com/articles/xray/
The other link in my thinking is Virtue Reborn by NT Wright. This important book highlights the important of godly character exercised through moment-by-moment decisions, as we, as followers of Jesus Christ, develop godly habits. What the apostle Paul calls ‘the way of life in Christ Jesus.’
Rick Rescola learned the habit of self-sacrifice as a young serviceman, looking out for those around him. Finally, decades after his Vietnam experiences, he gave his life looking out for others.
We all learn and develop habits. They may not all be good habits.
Matters which appear quite trivial, which ‘don’t harm anyone’ may, in time, become very unhelpful to ourselves and to others.
No wonder Paul says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Phil 4.8). One way to avoid unhelpful habits is to pursue good ones!
Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said; ‘sow a thought and reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and reap a destiny.’ As far as I know, Emerson was not a man of faith. But he certainly understood this important truth!