Latest / Beliefs, Ballots, And BullDawgs / Thursday July 23, 2026
Transcript
- Greg: Hey, good morning, everybody. It is Thursday, July 23rd. I'm your host, Greg Miller, and this is the latest edition of Beliefs, Ballots, and Bulldogs. We're gonna ⁓ we're gonna twist up the format a little bit today. We're gonna get right into ⁓ the subject matter. ⁓ today I'm gonna talk about I'm gonna talk about the war that we're all dealing with, and but we're not gonna talk about the war, not from a not from the standpoint of a military analyst. We're not gonna look at it from a from a politician standpoint. ⁓ and we're not gonna talk about it as as one of those people on social media who just talks about bombs and missiles and dead soldiers like it's strategy in a football game. We're gonna talk about the war as as as from a Christian standpoint, from a Christian point of view, because like it or not, right now our our nation is is very deeply engaged in a in a pretty substantial conflict over in Iran. ⁓ American service members have ki been killed. We we have lost service members over there. ⁓ unfortunately, ⁓ Patriotic and American families have received that dreaded knock on the door that absolutely every military family just fears. Iran continues to threaten our interest, Israel's interest, international shipping and just being a real pain in the you know what. And President Trump continues to to promise that that we will we will present overwhelming retaliation for for whatever it is that they do. So there's there's some legitimate questions and concerns over over the strategy and and and over the presidential authority. What should we even be over there? Does do we even have does he even have the right to have us over there? ⁓ there are there are strategic questions. There are philosophical questions of, you know, whether military strength really prevents greater bloodshed or whether it leads to more of it. And and before we decide, you know, which political team we're on, I think as as Christians, we we need to ask a different question. What does God require of us when when our nation goes to war? We we need to begin with something that that should be pretty darn obvious to all of us. You know, despite the way it's framed and presented to us these days, war, war is not entertainment. War isn't about the highlight reel. It shouldn't be used for campaign slogans. War is not a an opportunity to to to get online and post tough looking memes of of your favorite politician and You know, w with firefighters and jets behind them and and all the things. War means young men and women who who have loved ones and have families here, they're leaving those families behind to to go protect our rights, protect our freedoms and and hopefully make the world a better place. It it it means there are there are children here in this country who wonder if their mom or dad is ever coming home. You know, wives and husbands, mothers and fathers. you know, just living every day hoping that they don't get that phone call or that knock on the door. And it means, you know, in in some cases, especially over there where we're fighting and and the way some of the the people we deal with, some the way they contend the way they tend to conduct themselves, I I this means over there there's there's civilians having to hide from from explosions and and things that they have absolutely no power to prevent and and really have no skin in the game. They they've got no part of it. ⁓ but because the way the the other side sets themselves up and does things, It's it's almost impossible not to have civilians involved over there. And, you know, sometimes it means that evil people must be confronted with force. It's just the nature of the beast here. You I I firmly believe that nations ha have the right and and in that case, the even the obligation to defend their citizens. I've said that many times. The Bible does not teach us anywhere that the government must stand helplessly by why while innocent people are attacked. You know, Romans chapter thirteen d describes the governing authority as as bearing the sword for a reason. ⁓ and then Romans chapter thirteen, verse two tells us, consequentially, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. I mean, it's simply say, Hey, if you if you break the laws that are that are instituted by the governing authorities that that were instituted by the Lord, you will be judged, and and if you are judged, you are likely to be punished. But the fact that that force and and punishment can sometimes be justified, it doesn't mean that those things should should be celebrated or or entered into casually. There's a big difference between possessing the strength you need and becoming intoxicated by it. In in Luke chapter 14, Jesus gives us an illustration from a king standpoint as to how leaders are to prepare for war or how what the thought process is. Jesus tells us. Or what king going out to encounter another king in war will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes with him at him with twenty thousand. You know, Jesus here is is teaching us about the the cost of discipleship, but notice the example he chooses. He's telling us a a wise king does not march into war just because the crowd is excited. He sits down, he he deliberates, he he counts and and And does some math to try to figure out what this looks like. He he considers what will be required to attain victory. He considers whether or not victory in that case is even possible. ⁓ You have to consider the amount and the substance of the lives that will be placed in danger. This isn't this isn't weakness or fear. This is wisdom. In Proverbs chapter 20, verse 18, we're told plans are established by counsel, by wise guidance, wage war. You don't you don't wage war by anger, not by ego, not by not by applause or or emotion. War is waged after wise guidance. Strong leaders must be willing to act decisively, but wise leaders must also understand that every military decision is and will be paid for with something far more precious than political capital. It's paid for with human lives. You know, there's there's an obvious argument that that overwhelming strength prevents wars. And and I think that's kind of been the approach that that we as a nation have taken that if if we're the global hegemon and if we're just so strong that everybody's intimidated and afraid for us or afraid of us, then then maybe everybody will be on their best behavior and not go causing a ruckus. And there are plenty of historical examples to to take that reasoning and take that argument seriously. You know, if if an enemy or if someone you know counter to us out there believes that that an attack by them will will produce devastating consequences, well you know, they they may think twice before attacking. There's there's obvious wisdom in in using your strength as a deterrent. There's there's nothing there's nothing biblical about appearing weak and on purpose or or Appearing weak before violent people. ⁓ But scripture also repeatedly warns, you know, leaders and those in power about being consumed with pride. You know, we have several examples in the Bible. You know, we talked earlier, earlier last week, I guess. Nebuchadnezzar, you know, he believed that his power virtually made him untouchable. ⁓ back in the old, you know, Pharaoh's pride hardened his heart even as God was destroying the country around him and he wouldn't let his people go. Saul repeatedly allowed insecurity and ego to to distort his judgment. ⁓ you know, strength becomes dangerous when when the leader can no longer distinguish between defending the nation or defending his own pride. ⁓ and that distinction matters regardless of of who ⁓ who occupies the seat of power. You know, supporting the president here doesn't mean pretending that that every decision is automatically wise. ⁓ and opposing the president doesn't mean that. You know, you have to pretend every use of force i is automatically immoral and wrong. You know, as as Christians, we really have to be capable of of asking harder questions than that and really digging down to the the root of the issue instead of just playing the political ballgame and taking sides. When when military action begins and and military action is involved, you know, the the political offices ⁓ often just try to reduce the the conversation down to one simple question. You're either for us or you're against us. But but as as citizens and and particularly as Christian citizens, I I think we have to ask more. We we have to ask, you know, before we're involved or as what is the specific objective here? And how will we know when that objective has been achieved? ⁓ what is, you know, what is the likely response from the enemy? What happens if conflict spreads or grows? You know, ultimately, what's going to be the human cost or the human toll here? You know, one of the ultimate questions, and I think we're wrestling with right now is, you know, is there a realistic a realistic path to peace. ⁓ you know, the the people we're dealing with right now seem seem a little nutty. They seem crazy. I don't know how you get them to to ever accept peace when when they just want to destroy everything that we believe in. You know, and then you get down to the question of, you know, with with our governmental institution these days, you know, who has who has the ultimate constitutional authority to to make these decisions and and take the leap? You know, these asking these questions it doesn't make you unpatriotic. They're They're the kind of questions that we should be asking as responsible citizens before we just give the government power to send someone else's child into a war that could take their life. We can we can and we should, you know, support the troops absolutely 100% completely, but we can still have questions about the ultimate mission that they're being asked to accomplish. You know, I think that that in one way actually makes it more apparent that we're taking that sacrifice more seriously. By asking the questions to say, Hey, what are they actually sacrificing for? What is the ultimate goal here? Can we achieve that goal? You know, we talked about the the ultimate goal for any conflict should be to to end in peace. but you know, Jesus Jesus routinely tells us ⁓ you know that that peace is something we should be trying to attain. Jesus says, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. You know, I I don't think a peacemaker in in every sense of the word means someone who is always passive. ⁓ you know, sometimes peace must be defended with force. Sometimes the bully only stops being a bully. When someone strong enough stands in the way and makes him stop. Sometimes protecting innocent people requires courage, sacrifice, and force. But as Christians, we we must never be so eager to to punish evil or to to engage in conflict that we that we stop longing for for peace ultimately. Seeking peace sh should not be a sign of weakness or and it should not be something that anyone is embarrassed of. I I have I have entered that stage in life where For all that I have ever seeked, wealth, power, whatever, happiness, love. The number one thing I seek right now in my personal life is peace. ⁓ and so I get it. P peace does not make you weak. It just means that you don't need to engage in things that that are trivial. ⁓ diplomacy does not necessarily mean automatic surrender. Showing restraint doesn't make you a coward, but also, you know, showing, you know, inert military action doesn't automatically aspire strength either. Sometimes strength means striking and and sometimes strength means refusing to strike simply because you can. Wisdom's knowing the difference. It's knowing when to use force and when not to. You know, here's here's where things can get a little bit uncomfortable. And it's, you there's obviously a political double standard. You know, many of us, especially here in America, we decide whether whether any military action is justified simply based on on which party's in control and and who's who's executing the the action. You know, if if it's you know, I I'll I'll use this example. In in this case, when it was Joe Biden routinely sending billions of dollars to Ukraine, yeah, my natural inclination was to question it and be against it and go, why do we even care? Why are we involved over there? Well, when it's us attacking Iran because it's my party in control, I'm going, Yeah, I I think we need to. They're evil. We we need to make sure they can't do any more damage. You know, we we have to be aware of that double standard and you know, we also have to be be very transparent when You know, when President Trump bypasses congressional authority, we defend it. ⁓ it it's in the const he has the executive authority to do that. But when Biden did it, we all wanted it stopped. You know, we have to be we just have to call that out and we can't hide from that and we can't be hypocrites. ⁓ it's it's not principle. ⁓ that's that's partisanship. To to to constantly just take the side regardless of the issue. ⁓ it's a hundred percent partisanship, and as Christians, we're called to avoid that. ⁓ our standard Can't change just because of which party is in charge. If you know the value of an American soldier's life doesn't doesn't depend in any way, shape, or form whether it's a D or an R by the president's name. The suffering of an of an innocent civilian, it doesn't become irrelevant depending on which politicians ordered the attack. Unfortunately for some, truth is still truth, even when it's politically or or socially inconvenient. And let's let me be a hundred percent transparent here. I absolutely love this country. I am grateful and honored for for the young men and women who choose to defend it and choose to to risk their lives so that I don't have to. I want us to be strong. I want America to absolutely be the the shining light on the hill, the the defining force in this in this global world we live in. I want our our enemies, every one of them around this world to understand. that attacking us or attacking our friends will absolutely come with consequences. But we're America. This isn't the kingdom of God. The president isn't the savior and the military is not the ultimate source of our security. Psalms chapter twenty says, some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. You know, today it's it's not chariots and horses, you know, it's aircraft carriers and missiles and presidents and military superiority. And look, those those things may protect us from from physical attacks and and they they may provide temporary protection here, but none of those things are going to save our soul. Patriotism can can certainly become idolatry when we become unwilling to question things. You know, put political loyalty can turn into just worship when when criticism of a particular leader feels like criticism of of our beliefs or our faith. A Christian can support a leader or a president, but still demand wisdom from him and and hold him to accountable standards. A Christian can love the military but still grieve every life that's lost in war. And as a Christian, we can we can desire victory but still pray desperately for peace. ⁓ you know, ultimately, you know, today somewhere in in America, you know, four families are are grieving service members who will who will never walk back through their doors. And that is something that we we absolutely have to take seriously. You know, we we will celebrate their sacrifice, we will celebrate their lives. There there will be ceremonies, there will be flags, there will be uniforms. I'm sure there will be powerful and and and and emotional speeches and take nothing away from all that honor. That that honor matters and and that is some element of closure that those families absolutely deserve. But after the after the cameras leave and the service is over, those those families are still there. And You know, there there's always going to be an empty chair at the dinner table. There's there's likely to be a child growing up without a parent or parents losing a child. You know, there may be a spouse waking up one morning who who's reaching for for someone who's no longer there. So before any of us get so casual and start posting that that we should just bomb them back to the Stone Age or whatever, before we treat, you know, th this or any war like it's just a contest of toughness and and we cheer destruction from the safety of our living rooms. We should all remember who ultimately pays the bills, and usually it's not those in charge, it's it's not the politicians, it's the soldiers, it's it's the men and women who have chosen to put their lives on the line for for the rest of us. It's it's the families who who support them in that decision. And and most of the time the the true sacrifice comes from the ordinary people who likely never wanted to be in the war or wanted any part of it to start with. You know, Christianity begins. With a God who has every right to destroy his enemies, but he chooses to save them. And that doesn't give us a simple foreign policy formula. We we can't save everybody on on this planet. Governments carry that responsibility, but individuals don't. You know, the the cross should permanently change the spirit in with with which we discuss violence. ⁓ we should we should never delight in death, we should never celebrate suff suffering. We should never forget that even our enemies are human beings that are born in the image of God. Justice may in fact be necessary, defense may be necessary, and sometimes force may be necessary. But hatred is never necessary, and cruelty is never a Christian virtue. And ultimately, no matter what we're called to do, peace must always remain the ultimate destination that we're trying to attain. So here's the question I want us thinking about as we go through our day, and that's Can can we be strong enough to confront evil without becoming the types of people who enjoy the destruction? Can can we support our country and our military without worshiping it? Can we can we support our president without surrendering our own personal judgment? ⁓ can we honor the military you know by taking the lives seriously that we're asking them to risk and asking the questions? And can we pray for victory while while praying even more for for peace? You know, and these are not easy questions to wrestle with, you know, a and that's that's by by design. War should never be easy to discuss. The moment war becomes easy to discuss and easy to wrestle with, it's probably because that means we have already started to forget the cost. That'll do it for today, friends. As always, get in your Bibles, say your prayers, love one another, and tell the truth. God bless.