“4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Pet 4:1-12 ESV)

The appearance of normalcy meets the prerogative that we need Leaders. Not just observers, not just the plaintive masses who report something amiss, but leaders. Every one of the plaintive observers—Public Enemy sang “nine-one-one is a joke” in 1990—need a broader nine-one-one to call: if only someone “up there” would see! If only they would acknowledge a dastardly abuse or grift. Every one of the leaders needs channels to be men and women of the People.

Our generation’s “dog fight”, then, whether we are literally as some prophets—widely respected people!—do clamor, on the cusp of a society veil-plus: women can’t go out in public, men are expected to Know and Be Known by higher-ups who as the kings in times of biblical Israel are flawed, are constricting their People, are sinful, are illiberal in society’s terms. More, that overlook life springing forth abundant, first here and then, yes then, there.

Our dog fight ideally would be something a bit Elevated, the parables in the newspaper headlines not just matching hair color or average height, but matching some things Spiritual and Elusive. That the marriage is Honorarium to a creed or to an Encounter (what is religion if not Encounter? More on that in a moment). That the pairing up of two disciples to go on mission, is Honorarium to a blessedness experienced by the monks of St. Francis, a worldview delighted in each day’s bounty, not calculating or measuring the borders and incursions of War. Or the disciples of Jesus. That the family unit would never preempt the individual’s call not to go one route and indeed to go a different Route, no heavy-handed “family muscle” but rather we are all sinners, we are all at each other’s throats in some distant hopefully-averted theory.

Our dog fight hopefully will be around an Experience not all have had, and those who have, to those who have their is a Call to patience and indeed to pray through the exasperation, through the childlike retorts and inflexibility. Rightly to Fear earthly authority, and indeed to see the Emperor’s moves as Holy, Right, and True: this is learned as we graduate from the “let me stick up for Jesus” age. We do stick up for Jesus, but do not neglect the battleship or the aerial formation or the Call to devote and to tithe of our time, to the secular Armies and Assemblies.

Experience counters with other supposedly Ultimate mantras, dog fights, etc.: Law and Gospel, as a phenomenon recovered from the Reformation; but Law and Gospel needs People, needs Encounter, needs Christ. The image of the punished and beleaguered Saint: this is any career person in her or his office and workplace Team. This is indeed why the Soldier is not eager to war, but also sees the climate drop precipitously all of a sudden or sees the shocking fact war Emerges and Creeps up even as we all go about our daily business. Hat tip to these who are Responders and Frontline.