Does war create heroes or reveal heroes? We are familiar with the experiences of John McCain as a POW during the Vietnam War. It is incredible what some men (and women) experience as POWs but their will is not broken.
Last month, another Vietnam War hero passed away at the age of 85 – Leo Thorsness (World, May 27, 2017). He was with McCain in Vietnam. Thorsness flew a fighter jet over Hanoi, protecting our bombers. Under aerial bombardment, his wingmen were forced to bail out but Thorsness, despite being low on fuel as well as ammo, stayed in the area and fought off enemy planes hoping the men on the ground could be rescued.
He had the chance to have his jet refueled because he wanted to save another pilot. He barely made the trip back to his Thai base. Less than two weeks after that particular mission (April, 1967), Thorsness’s plane was shot down and he was captured by the Viet Cong.
Mr. Leo was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for the April 1967 mission, while he was a POW. He has a prisoner for six years and tortured to the extent that he had to give up flying once he was freed.
Why do POWs tolerate what they do? What keeps them from breaking? How can they endure the pain, psychological intimidation, and crude treatment? Love. Loyalty. I try to put my mind into the mind of Leo Thorsness when he had the opportunity to leave that gun fight and return to safety. What was his initial reaction? Did he initially think, “I can leave this danger and get to safety… But no, I need to defend my comrades”? Or, did he initially think, “I’ve got to defend my comrades regardless of the cost to myself”? It would be interesting to know if he talked himself out of saving his life or if that idea ever entered his head.
How committed are you to Jesus Christ? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to stay faithful to Him? Do you find yourself having to talk yourself out of weakening your commitment to Christ? Or, is your love for and loyalty to Christ so strong that your commitment simply overrides any “danger” your decision might bring to you?
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When it comes to finding the balance between honoring Christ and His gospel and keeping others happy with me, I frequently remind myself of Paul’s words to the Galatian Christians: “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).
Christ demands and deserves our highest allegiance, our deepest loyalty, our strongest love, and our most fervent devotion regardless of the cost. The stakes are simply too high and the reward (or penalty) lasts too long to do otherwise.
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:12-16).
What are you willing to sacrifice to stay faithful to Christ?
–Paul Holland
