2023-08-16 A Meditation on Mettle

“5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Ro 5:1–5 ESV)

Praying for mettle, the soldier uncovers sharp contours of character. Character is necessary distinctions made and relished. Character says yes and no. Character warms the mind, giving a platform to dwell in, to lean upon. Character is one man’s certainty and one man’s belligerence, principled staunch, motivated outlay, determined stance. For to hear and see the yea and the nay is to be inspired and possessed of a salvific insight. People are saved when words are put to pavement, are put to ears, are put to mentality.

So for some the shape and distinctives are a fast: “This-and-such I shall use to differentiate my eating habits from those of the unwashed masses”; “So-and-much I shall refrain from appearing before my circumcised eyes”; “Here-and-how I shall use modesty of expenditure to decide my actions”. All these have power to mimic that transformative decision to know Jesus: we mimic the feeling of being “different” by mimicking the fact of us being somehow different from others on other fronts.

Therefore the love-induced belligerence, the corporate welfare decision, the gregarious punch and pluck of circumstance: here, the soldier rings true with her or his mettle found. Now, like sitting next to a person who loves, we are hearing of love, and therefore—surprise—are willing to hear discipline.

To hear discipline it is required that our hearts feel that the discipline is in good faith. It is required that no life change is prerequisite to the Father’s love. His love is not an elitist accomplishment attained unto, but rather He loves whom and how He will; thus our relishing to discover yea and nay, character and mettle. For these things shall not soon waver. These things form us around a picture of shape and function. These things occupy us, incorporate us, prove to us again to discover an economy not leaning on compliments (for these are welcome, provided it isn’t a game of, “Let me tell you why you’re saved: it’s because you are good at such-and-such”). These things introduce us to One Word (“One thing is needful of you”) that brings peace.